Chess Puzzle #huUS8 — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2224 · Expert · advantage, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king c1; queen h5; rooks d1/h1; bishops f4/g2; knight e4; pawns a3/b4/c2/d3/g3/h3. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks a8/e8; bishop b6; knights b8/d5; pawns a7/b7/c7/f5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxe4 — pawn f5→e4, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: dxe4 — pawn d3→e4, captures pawn. Opponent replies Nxf4 (knight d5→f4, captures bishop).
  3. Best move: Rxd8 — rook d1→d8, captures queen. Opponent replies Nxh5 (knight f4→h5, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook d8→e8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, kingside attack, long, middlegame. The key move Rxe8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: rn1qr1k1/ppp3pp/1b6/3n1p1Q/1P2NB2/P2P2PP/2P3B1/2KR3R b - - 1 16

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