Chess Puzzle #aO97p — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1965 · Advanced · discovered attack, equality, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen f3; rooks a1/h1; bishop d2; knight c4; pawns a2/c2/d3/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen a6; rooks a8/h8; bishops c8/d6; knight f6; pawns a7/c5/d4/e6/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nd7 — knight f6→d7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: e5 — pawn e4→e5. Opponent replies Be7 (bishop d6→e7).
  3. Best move: Qxa8 — queen f3→a8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

discovered attack, equality, middlegame, short. The key move is e5.

Position data

FEN: r1b1k2r/p4p1p/q2bpnp1/2p5/2NpP3/3P1Q2/P1PB1PPP/R3K2R b KQkq - 5 17

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