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

Rating 2226 · Expert · advantage, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen b3; rook e1; bishop d3; knight d5; pawns a2/b2/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen e5; rooks a8/h8; bishop c8; pawns a6/b5/d7/e6/f6/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rg8 — rook h8→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qb4 — queen b3→b4. Opponent replies exd5 (pawn e6→d5, captures knight).
  3. Best move: exd5 — pawn e4→d5, captures pawn.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, short. The key move is Qb4.

Position data

FEN: r1b1k2r/3p1p1p/p3pp2/1p1Nq3/4P3/1Q1B4/PP3PPP/4R1K1 b kq - 1 16

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