Chess Puzzle #ZHB98 — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2436 · Master · equality, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king b1; queen d3; rooks d1/g1; bishop c3; knight f3; pawns a3/b2/e6/f2/g4/h5. Black: king g8; queen f4; rooks a8/f8; bishops b7/g5; knight d7; pawns a7/b6/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxe6 — pawn f7→e6, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxg5 — knight f3→g5, captures bishop. Opponent replies hxg5 (pawn h6→g5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxd7 — queen d3→d7, captures knight.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short. The key move Nxg5 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/pb1n1pp1/1p2P2p/6bP/5qP1/P1BQ1N2/1P3P2/1K1R2R1 b - - 0 20

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