Chess Puzzle #afx1k — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1885 · Advanced · defensive move, equality, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king g1; queen g3; rooks d1/d7; bishop b1; knight c3; pawns a3/b2/e4/f5/g2/h4. Black: king g8; queen c6; rooks c8/e8; bishops b7/g7; knights b3/c4; pawns a6/b5/e6/f7/h6. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxb2 — knight c4→b2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: f6 — pawn f5→f6. Opponent replies Qc5+ (queen c6→c5, gives check).
  3. Best move: Kh2 — king g1→h2. Opponent replies Qf8 (queen c5→f8).
  4. Best move: Rf1 — rook d1→f1.

Tactical themes

defensive move, equality, long, middlegame, pin. The key move is f6.

Position data

FEN: 2r1r1k1/1b1R1pb1/p1q1p2p/1p3P2/2n1P2P/PnN3Q1/1P4P1/1B1R2K1 b - - 0 29

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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