Chess Puzzle #MZAUE — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1984 · Advanced · advantage, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king b1; queen d3; rooks d1/h1; knight d2; pawns a2/b3/c4/d5/f3/g2/h4. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks a8/f8; bishop g5; pawns a3/b4/c5/d6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qf6 — queen d8→f6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen d3→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king g8→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: hxg5+ — pawn h4→g5, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Qh6 (queen f6→h6).
  4. Best move: gxh6 — pawn g5→h6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move Qxh7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r2q1rk1/5ppp/3p4/2pP2b1/1pP4P/pP1Q1P2/P2N2P1/1K1R3R b - - 0 23

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