Chess Puzzle #iLM7W — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2144 · Expert · advantage, middlegame, quiet move, short, trapped piece.

Position

White: king b1; queen e3; rooks d1/h1; bishop d2; knights d5/e6; pawns a3/b2/e4/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks c2/c8; bishop g7; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/d6/f7/g6/h7. White is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxe6 — pawn f7→e6, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nc3 — knight d5→c3. Opponent replies Rxb2+ (rook c2→b2, captures pawn, gives check).
  3. Best move: Kxb2 — king b1→b2, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, quiet move, short, trapped piece. The key move is Nc3.

Position data

FEN: 2rq2k1/pp3pbp/3pNnp1/3N4/4P3/P3Q2P/1PrB2P1/1K1R3R b - - 1 19

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