Chess Puzzle #gdDg8 — Master, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 2712 · Master · crushing, exposed king, intermezzo, middlegame, pin, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen f5; rook c1; bishop b2; knight f4; pawns b5/d5/f2/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen g7; rook e8; bishop c5; knight e3; pawns b6/f6/f7/h6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxe3 — pawn f2→e3, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxg3+ — queen g7→g3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ng2 (knight f4→g2).
  3. Best move: Rxe3 — rook e8→e3, captures pawn. Opponent replies Rxc5 (rook c1→c5, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: Re1+ — rook e3→e1, gives check. Opponent replies Qf1 (queen f5→f1).
  5. Best move: Rxf1+ — rook e1→f1, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, exposed king, intermezzo, middlegame, pin, very long. The key move Qxg3+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 4r1k1/5pq1/1p3p1p/1PbP1Q2/5N1P/4n1P1/1B3P2/2R3K1 w - - 0 35

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