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

Rating 1990 · Advanced · crushing, endgame, very long, X-ray attack.

Position

White: king h2; queen f5; rooks e1/f1; knight e2; pawns a3/d3/g2/h3/h5. Black: king g8; queen b2; rooks c2/e8; pawns a6/b5/d5/f7/g7/h6. White is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rcxe2 — rook c2→e2, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f5→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
  3. Best move: Qg6+ — queen f7→g6, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
  4. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen g6→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxe8 (rook e2→e8, captures queen).
  5. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook e1→e8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, endgame, very long, X-ray attack. The key move Qxf7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 4r1k1/5pp1/p6p/1p1p1Q1P/8/P2P3P/1qr1N1PK/4RR2 b - - 0 25

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