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

Rating 2505 · Master · crushing, deflection, long, middlegame, pin, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen g6; rooks d1/f1; bishop b3; pawns b2/b5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e5; rooks d7/d8; bishop g7; knight d6; pawns a5/b6/f7/h6. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxb5 — knight d6→b5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen g6→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook d7→f7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook d1→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
  4. Best move: Bc2+ — bishop b3→c2, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, deflection, long, middlegame, pin, sacrifice. The key move Qxf7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3r2k1/3r1pb1/1p1n2Qp/pP2q3/8/1B6/1P4PP/3R1R1K b - - 3 31

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