Chess Puzzle #dOW76 — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1902 · Advanced · advantage, long, middlegame, trapped piece.

Position

White: king d2; queen d3; rooks d1/h1; bishop e2; knights b4/d4; pawns a3/a5/c2/e4/f2/g3/h3. Black: king e8; queen b2; rooks c8/h8; bishops a4/f8; pawns a7/b7/d6/e7/f6/f7/h4. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: g4 — pawn g3→g4. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Bh6+ — bishop f8→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Ke1 (king d2→e1).
  3. Best move: Rc3 — rook c8→c3. Opponent replies Qxc3 (queen d3→c3, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qxc3+ — queen b2→c3, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame, trapped piece. The key move Qxc3+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r1kb1r/pp2pp2/3p1p2/P7/bN1NP2p/P2Q2PP/1qPKBP2/3R3R w k - 0 23

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