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

Rating 2148 · Expert · advantage, discovered attack, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; bishops b2/g2; knights e4/g5; pawns a2/b3/c4/e5/f4/g4/h3. Black: king g8; queen d8; bishops b7/e7; knights g6/h6; pawns a7/b6/c5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxf4 — knight g6→f4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf6+ — knight e4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen c2→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  4. Best move: Qh8+ — queen h7→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Ng8 (knight h6→g8).
  5. Best move: Nh7+ — knight g5→h7, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Qxh7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3q2k1/pb2bppp/1p2p1nn/2p1P1N1/2P1NPP1/1P5P/PBQ3B1/6K1 b - - 0 22

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