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

Rating 1928 · Advanced · advantage, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king g2; queen c3; rooks e2/h1; bishop f2; pawns a2/b3/d4/e3/f4/g4/h3. Black: king h7; queen e6; rooks e4/e8; bishop f8; pawns a5/b6/c6/d5/f5/g6/h5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxf4 — rook e4→f4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: exf4 — pawn e3→f4, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxe2 (queen e6→e2, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Re1 — rook h1→e1. Opponent replies Qxe1 (queen e2→e1, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Bxe1 — bishop f2→e1, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame. The key move exf4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 4rb2/7k/1pp1q1p1/p2p1p1p/3PrPP1/1PQ1P2P/P3RBK1/7R b - - 0 34

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