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

Rating 2475 · Master · attraction, crushing, middlegame, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen f2; rook f1; bishop h4; knights c3/e5; pawns a2/b2/d4/e3/f4/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen e6; rooks a8/h8; bishop b4; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/c4/c6/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: O-O — king e8→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: f5 — pawn f4→f5. Opponent replies Qd6 (queen e6→d6).
  3. Best move: Bxf6 — bishop h4→f6, captures knight. Opponent replies Qxf6 (queen d6→f6, captures bishop).
  4. Best move: Ne4 — knight c3→e4. Opponent replies Qd8 (queen f6→d8).
  5. Best move: f6 — pawn f5→f6.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, middlegame, very long. The key move is f5.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/pp3pp1/2p1qn1p/4N3/1bpP1P1B/2N1P3/PP3QPP/5RK1 b kq - 2 17

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