Chess Puzzle #fnsvt — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2091 · Expert · advanced pawn, advantage, endgame, hanging piece, intermezzo, promotion.

Position

White: king g1; queen d4; rook e1; knight f6; pawns b2/c2/d6/f3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f5; rooks e8/f7; bishop a6; pawns a5/c6/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxf6 — queen f5→f6, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook e1→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
  3. Best move: Qxf6 — queen d4→f6, captures queen. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Re7 — rook e8→e7. Opponent replies Kg7 (king h7→g7).
  5. Best move: d7 — pawn d6→d7. Opponent replies Rxe7 (rook f7→e7, captures rook).
  6. Best move: d8=Q — pawn d7→d8, promotes to queen.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, advantage, endgame, hanging piece, intermezzo, promotion, very long. The key move Rxe8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 4r1k1/5rp1/b1pP1N1p/p4q2/3Q4/5P2/1PP3PP/4R1K1 b - - 0 27

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