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

Rating 2237 · Expert · advantage, discovered attack, exposed king, long, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king h1; queen f4; rook g1; bishops g5/h3; pawns b2/c3/d4/e5/f2. Black: king h7; queen b6; rook a8; bishop h5; knights c6/d7; pawns a2/a4/c4/d5/e6/f7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb2 — queen b6→b2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh4 — queen f4→h4. Opponent replies a1=Q (pawn a2→a1, promotes to queen).
  3. Best move: Qxh5+ — queen h4→h5, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h7→g8).
  4. Best move: Bc1+ — bishop g5→c1, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, exposed king, long, middlegame, pin. The key move Qxh5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r7/3n1p1k/1qn1p3/3pP1Bb/p1pP1Q2/2P4B/pP3P2/6RK b - - 2 33

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