Chess Puzzle #jsZCc — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1980 · Advanced · attraction, crushing, kingside attack, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king c1; queen d6; rooks h1/h4; pawns a2/b2/c3/e3/f4/g2. Black: king g8; queen f5; rooks a8/h8; bishop c8; pawns a6/b7/c6/d5/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (6 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qe6 — queen f5→e6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qd8+ — queen d6→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Kg7 (king g8→g7).
  3. Best move: Qxh8+ — queen d8→h8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh8 (king g7→h8, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h4→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h8→g8).
  5. Best move: Rh8+ — rook h7→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kg7 (king g8→g7).
  6. Best move: R1h7+ — rook h1→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf6 (king g7→f6).
  7. Best move: Rf8+ — rook h8→f8, gives check.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, kingside attack, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Qxh8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1b3kr/1p5p/p1pQ2p1/3p1q2/5P1R/2P1P3/PP4P1/2K4R b - - 1 25

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