Chess Puzzle #MANDy — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1413 · Intermediate · advantage, discovered attack, exposed king, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; queen g7; rook g1; bishop f3; knight f5; pawns a3/b2/c2/d3/e4/h5. Black: king d7; queen c6; rooks d8/e5; knights c1/f6; pawns a7/b7/c5/d4/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rg8 — rook d8→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen g7→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king d7→d8).
  3. Best move: Rxg8+ — rook g1→g8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Nxg8 (knight f6→g8, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxg8+ — queen f7→g8, captures knight, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, exposed king, long, middlegame. The key move Qxf7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3r4/pp1k1pQp/2q2n2/2p1rN1P/3pP3/P2P1B2/1PP5/2n3RK b - - 7 34

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