Chess Puzzle #OCsw5 — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2405 · Master · crushing, kingside attack, long, middlegame, quiet move, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen e3; rooks f1/h4; bishop b3; knight d2; pawns a3/b4/c3/e4/f5. Black: king h8; queen e5; rooks e8/f8; bishop d7; knight c8; pawns a6/b5/c6/d5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: dxe4 — pawn d5→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh3 — queen e3→h3. Opponent replies h6 (pawn h7→h6).
  3. Best move: Rxh6+ — rook h4→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh6 (pawn g7→h6, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxh6+ — queen h3→h6, captures pawn, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, kingside attack, long, middlegame, quiet move, sacrifice. The key move Rxh6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2n1rr1k/3b1ppp/p1p5/1p1pqP2/1P2P2R/PBP1Q3/3N4/5RK1 b - - 1 30

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