Chess Puzzle #TzxtX — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2373 · Expert · attraction, crushing, discovered attack, kingside attack, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g3; queen d3; rooks c1/f1; knight f3; pawns a3/b2/d4/e5/g4/h5. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks a8/f7; knight d7; pawns a7/b7/d5/e6/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rc8 — rook a8→c8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ng5 — knight f3→g5. Opponent replies hxg5 (pawn h6→g5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Rxf7 — rook f1→f7, captures rook. Opponent replies Kxf7 (king g8→f7, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qg6+ — queen d3→g6, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king f7→f8).
  5. Best move: Rf1+ — rook c1→f1, gives check.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, discovered attack, kingside attack, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move is Ng5.

Position data

FEN: r2q2k1/pp1n1rp1/4p2p/3pP2P/3P2P1/P2Q1NK1/1P6/2R2R2 b - - 4 21

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