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

Position

White: king g2; queen e2; rooks f2/h3; bishop d2; pawns b4/c3/d4/e6/g5/h2. Black: king g7; queen a4; rooks a1/h8; bishop e7; knight c4; pawns b7/d5/f5/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (6 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxd2 — knight c4→d2, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qe5+ — queen e2→e5, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king g7→g8).
3. Best move: exf7+ — pawn e6→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxf7 (king g8→f7, captures pawn).
4. Best move: Qxh8 — queen e5→h8, captures rook. Opponent replies Rg1+ (rook a1→g1, gives check).
5. Best move: Kxg1 — king g2→g1, captures rook. Opponent replies Qd1+ (queen a4→d1, gives check).
6. Best move: Kg2 — king g1→g2. Opponent replies Qg4+ (queen d1→g4, gives check).
7. Best move: Rg3 — rook h3→g3.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, advantage, middlegame, very long. The key move exf7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 7r/1p2bpkp/4P1p1/3p1pP1/qPnP4/2P4R/3BQRKP/r7 b - - 0 31

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.