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

Rating 1974 · Advanced · equality, fork, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen e2; rook g1; knight g3; pawns a2/b2/c2/d4/e6/h4. Black: king g7; queen g6; rooks a8/f4; bishop h5; pawns a6/c4/c6/d5/g4/h7. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Re8 — rook a8→e8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qe5+ — queen e2→e5, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king g7→g8).
  3. Best move: Qxf4 — queen e5→f4, captures rook.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, middlegame, short. The key move is Qe5+.

Position data

FEN: r7/6kp/p1p1P1q1/3p3b/2pP1rpP/6N1/PPP1Q3/2K3R1 b - - 0 31

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