Chess Puzzle #M19ip — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1549 · Intermediate · equality, fork, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; rook d1; bishop a2; knights d7/f3; pawns a3/b2/c3/e4/f5/g2/h2. Black: king g7; rook h8; bishops b7/f4; knight e7; pawns a6/b5/c5/e5/f7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxc5 — knight d7→c5, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Be3+ — bishop f4→e3, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king g1→f1).
  3. Best move: Bxc5 — bishop e3→c5, captures knight.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, middlegame, short. The key move is Be3+.

Position data

FEN: 7r/1b1Nnpkp/p7/1pp1pP2/4Pb2/P1P2N2/BP4PP/3R2K1 w - - 3 24

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