Winning blow: king to g2 (f2)
sf-t-0180naming tag (square·N)The tactical motive
Winning tactic: there is a move that gains a decisive advantage — find it.
Chess960 twist: use the unusual starting setup of the pieces.
Difficulty 780 ShuffleRating — for beginners taking their first steps in Chess960 tactics.
White to move — find the best continuation
Position on the board
White: king f2, queen d2, rook b1, bishop d1, knight a6, pawn d3 e3 a4 c4 f4 h5.
Black: king e7, rook g2 d8, bishop a8, knight b7, pawn b6 e6 f6 c7 d7 f7.
11 white and 11 black pieces are on the board; the puzzle position arises after move 21.
Solution & explanation
Main line
21. Kxg2 Nc5+ 22. Bf3 Nxa6 23. Bxa8
Why it works
- Great move! king to g2 keeps the pressure (+5.3).
- bishop to f3 develops smoothly.
- Precise: bishop to a8 is the top choice (+5.6).
- You win a piece — the rook.
- If instead Nc5+, then Bf3 and you win the rook.
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.
Provenance
Mined from the project's engine self-play games.
Verified by Stockfish at depth 20+.
Solution forcedness confirmed (verified).
Pack 003
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