Chess Puzzle #pI9CB — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2210 · Expert · advantage, kingside attack, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king d2; queen h5; rooks h1/h4; knight e3; pawns a2/b3/c4/e4/f3/g2. Black: king h8; queen e6; rooks f8/g7; bishop g8; knight c5; pawns a7/b7/c6/d6/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bf7 — bishop g8→f7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h5→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxh7 (rook g7→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h4→h7, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h8→g8).
  4. Best move: Nf5 — knight e3→f5. Opponent replies Qxf5 (queen e6→f5, captures knight).
  5. Best move: exf5 — pawn e4→f5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, kingside attack, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Qxh7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 5rbk/pp4rp/2ppq3/2n4Q/2P1P2R/1P2NP2/P2K2P1/7R b - - 5 27

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