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Puzzle #94: Pin

Rating ≈ 700 · 1 move to find

Black to move and win material.

Puzzle position: Black to move and win material.♜︎♞︎♚︎♝︎♞︎♜︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♛︎♞︎♟︎♛︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♟︎♜︎♝︎♚︎♞︎♜︎h1g2f3e4d5c6b7a8
Show a hint

One of the opponent's pieces can't move without exposing something bigger behind it.

Show the solution
  1. 10… Qxa4 — the queen takes the knight on a4.

Why it works. The pinned piece can't move without exposing something more valuable, so it falls. At the end of the line Black is about 3 points of material better off.

Themes: Hanging piece, Pin, Winning material

Want to recognise this pattern faster? Read the guide.

This position comes from a training game and was checked with a chess engine: every move you need to find is the only one that works.

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