Chess Puzzle #N3goe — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1996 · Advanced · clearance, equality, middlegame, pin, skewer, very long.

Position

White: king f1; queen d1; rooks a1/h1; bishop e5; knight a8; pawns a2/c2/f2/h2. Black: king d8; queen c4; rook h8; bishop c8; knights e2/f6; pawns a7/b7/d7/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (5 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe2 — queen d1→e2, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe2+ — queen c4→e2, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Kxe2 (king f1→e2, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Re8 — rook h8→e8. Opponent replies f4 (pawn f2→f4).
  4. Best move: d6 — pawn d7→d6. Opponent replies Rhd1 (rook h1→d1).
  5. Best move: Bg4+ — bishop c8→g4, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king e2→f1).
  6. Best move: Bxd1 — bishop g4→d1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

clearance, equality, middlegame, pin, skewer, very long. The key move Qxe2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: N1bk3r/pp1p1ppp/5n2/4B3/2q5/8/P1P1nP1P/R2Q1K1R w - - 0 17

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