Chess Puzzle #khr4x — Expert, Black to move, opening

Rating 2106 · Expert · equality, long, middlegame.

Position

White: king b1; queen d2; rooks d1/h1; bishops e2/g5; knight a4; pawns a3/b4/c2/d3/e4/f4/g2/h2. Black: king b8; queen d4; rooks d8/h8; bishops b6/e6; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/c5/c7/f7/g7/h5. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxb6 — knight a4→b6, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nxe4 — knight f6→e4, captures pawn. Opponent replies dxe4 (pawn d3→e4, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxd2 — queen d4→d2, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxd2 (rook d1→d2, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxd2 — rook d8→d2, captures rook.

Tactical themes

equality, long, middlegame. The key move Nxe4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r3r/ppp2pp1/1b2bn2/2p3Bp/NP1qPP2/P2P4/2PQB1PP/1K1R3R w - - 2 18

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