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

Rating 1865 · Advanced · crushing, deflection, fork, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king f2; queen d2; rook e1; bishop d1; knight g3; pawns a3/b4/c3/f3/g2/h3. Black: king h8; queen e5; rook e3; bishops f5/h4; pawns a6/b5/d5/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe3 — queen d2→e3, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxg3+ — queen e5→g3, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kg1 (king f2→g1).
  3. Best move: Qxe1+ — queen g3→e1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Qxe1 (queen e3→e1, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Bxe1 — bishop h4→e1, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, deflection, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Qxg3+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 7k/5pp1/p6p/1p1pqb2/1P5b/P1P1rPNP/3Q1KP1/3BR3 w - - 9 31

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