Winning blow: queen to a6 (a7·4)
sf-t-0132naming tag (square·N)The tactical motive
Chess960 twist: use the unusual starting setup of the pieces.
Winning tactic: there is a move that gains a decisive advantage — find it.
Difficulty 1280 ShuffleRating — club-player level.
White to move — find the best continuation
Position on the board
White: king c1, queen a7, rook a1, bishop d1 d2, knight c5, pawn b2 c2 e2 g4 h4 a5.
Black: king c8, queen g8, rook d8, bishop c6, knight g6, pawn b5 e5 a6 c7 g7 h7.
12 white and 11 black pieces are on the board; the puzzle position arises after move 17.
Solution & explanation
Main line
17. Qxa6+ Kb8 18. Qxc6 Qd5 19. Na6+
Why it works
- Great move! queen to a6 keeps the pressure (#6).
- Well found: queen to c6 (#5).
- Strong! knight to a6 is the sharp choice (#4).
- You win a piece — the bishop.
- If instead Kb8, then Qxc6 and you win the bishop.
Types in this puzzle
Hanging piece
A piece is left without protection — just take it.
A hanging piece is simply an unprotected piece you can take for free. It sounds primitive, yet most amateur games are decided exactly this way. Build the habit: before every move, sweep the board and note every undefended piece, yours and theirs. The classic mistake is hunting for a brilliant combination when all you need to do is bend down and pick up the gift.
Royal fork
A fork with check: the king must move, and the second piece is lost.
A royal fork is a fork with check — one of the two targets is the king itself. The check must be answered first, so nobody is left to rescue the second piece. Look for squares where your piece gives check and simultaneously attacks an undefended queen or rook. It is the most reliable fork of all, because your opponent literally has no choice.
Provenance
Mined from the project's engine self-play games.
Verified by Stockfish at depth 20+.
Solution forcedness confirmed (verified).
Pack 009
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