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

Rating 1906 · Advanced · attraction, crushing, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king h2; queen d3; rooks d1/g1; bishops c4/e3; knight e4; pawns a3/b2/d4/f2/f3/h3. Black: king g8; queen f5; rooks d8/f8; bishop e7; knights c6/f6; pawns a6/b7/c7/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxf3 — queen f5→f3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxg7+ — rook g1→g7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg7 (king g8→g7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Bxh6+ — bishop e3→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh6 (king g7→h6, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: Qxf3 — queen d3→f3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move Rxg7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3r1rk1/1pp1bpp1/p1n2n1p/5q2/2BPN3/P2QBP1P/1P3P1K/3R2R1 b - - 9 18

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