Chess Puzzle #S3zCD — Expert, White to move, opening

Rating 2096 · Expert · advantage, long, middlegame, sacrifice, trapped piece.

Position

White: king g1; queen d2; rooks a1/f1; bishops b5/g5; knights c3/h4; pawns a2/b2/c2/d4/e4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen h5; rooks a8/f8; bishops b6/e6; knights c6/e7; pawns a7/b7/c7/d6/e5/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: exd4 — pawn e5→d4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Be2 — bishop b5→e2. Opponent replies dxc3 (pawn d4→c3, captures knight).
  3. Best move: bxc3 — pawn b2→c3, captures pawn. Opponent replies Qxe2 (queen h5→e2, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: Qxe2 — queen d2→e2, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame, sacrifice, trapped piece. The key move is Be2.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/ppp1nppp/1bnpb3/1B2p1Bq/3PP2N/2N4P/PPPQ1PP1/R4RK1 b - - 0 12

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