Chess Puzzle #Lir7w — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1851 · Advanced · equality, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king h1; queen b5; rooks d1/f1; bishops d3/g3; knight a2; pawns a4/b2/c4/e4/f3/g2/h2. Black: king b7; queen c7; rooks a8/h8; bishop g7; knight b4; pawns a5/b6/c5/d6/e5/g6/h6. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxb4 — knight a2→b4, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: axb4 — pawn a5→b4, captures knight. Opponent replies f4 (pawn f3→f4).
  3. Best move: Ra5 — rook a8→a5.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short. The key move axb4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r6r/1kq3b1/1p1p2pp/pQp1p3/PnP1P3/3B1PB1/NP4PP/3R1R1K w - - 2 28

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Puzzle data from the Lichess puzzle database (CC0). Analysis powered by Stockfish 18 in your browser.