Chess Puzzle #MXlXE — Expert, White to move, opening

Rating 2083 · Expert · equality, fork, long, middlegame, skewer.

Position

White: king c1; queen h8; rooks d2/h1; bishop g5; knights a3/g1; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/e4/h3. Black: king e7; queen d8; rooks a8/f2; bishops c8/f8; knights e5/f6; pawns a6/b7/c5/d6/e6/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Ng6 — knight e5→g6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf2 — rook d2→f2, captures rook. Opponent replies Nxh8 (knight g6→h8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Bxf6+ — bishop g5→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king e7→d7).
  4. Best move: Bxd8 — bishop f6→d8, captures queen.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, long, middlegame, skewer. The key move Bxf6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1bq1b1Q/1p2kp1p/p2ppn2/2p1n1B1/4P3/N2P3P/PPPR1r2/2K3NR b - - 2 19

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