Chess Puzzle #Zb3yl — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2532 · Master · advantage, long, middlegame, pin, quiet move.

Position

White: king g2; queen f3; rooks c5/h1; knight h2; pawns a2/d3/d6/e4/f2/g4. Black: king d8; queen d7; rooks h4/h8; bishop g6; knight g8; pawns a6/e5/f6/g7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nh6 — knight g8→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rb1 — rook h1→b1. Opponent replies Qxd6 (queen d7→d6, captures pawn).
  3. Best move: Rd5 — rook c5→d5. Opponent replies Qxd5 (queen d6→d5, captures rook).
  4. Best move: exd5 — pawn e4→d5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame, pin, quiet move. The key move is Rb1.

Position data

FEN: 3k2nr/3q2p1/p2P1pb1/2R1p3/4P1Pr/3P1Q2/P4PKN/7R b - - 0 26

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