Chess Puzzle #SkJm9 — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1978 · Advanced · equality, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen a4; rooks a1/h1; bishops b5/f4; knight e2; pawns b2/d5/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king d8; queen b6; rooks a8/h8; bishop f8; knights b8/f6; pawns a6/b4/e7/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb4 — queen a4→b4, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: e5 — pawn e7→e5. Opponent replies Qa4 (queen b4→a4).
  3. Best move: exf4 — pawn e5→f4, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short. The key move is e5.

Position data

FEN: rn1k1b1r/4pppp/pq3n2/1B1P4/Qp2PB2/8/1P2NPPP/R3K2R w KQ - 5 15

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