Chess Puzzle #ikq8i — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2735 · Master · advantage, middlegame, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen h5; rook a1; bishops b2/h7; knights c3/g5; pawns a2/b3/c2/d2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen d8; rooks a8/f8; bishops b7/f6; knight c6; pawns a6/b5/c5/d7/e6/g7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bxg5 — bishop f6→g5, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ne4 — knight c3→e4. Opponent replies Nd4 (knight c6→d4).
  3. Best move: Bxd4 — bishop b2→d4, captures knight. Opponent replies cxd4 (pawn c5→d4, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: Nxg5 — knight e4→g5, captures bishop. Opponent replies Qxg5 (queen d8→g5, captures knight).
  5. Best move: Qxg5 — queen h5→g5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, very long. The key move is Ne4.

Position data

FEN: r2q1r1k/1b1p2pB/p1n1pb2/1pp3NQ/8/1PN5/PBPP2PP/R5K1 b - - 2 15

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