Chess Puzzle #020Jm — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1371 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen b3; rooks d1/d4; knight b6; pawns a2/b2/d6/g2/h3. Black: king g7; queen f4; rooks c2/c8; bishop b7; pawns a6/e4/f5/g6/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxc8 — knight b6→c8, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qf2+ — queen f4→f2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh2 (king g1→h2).
  3. Best move: Qxg2# — queen f2→g2, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxg2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r5/1b4kp/pN1P2p1/5p2/3Rpq2/1Q5P/PPr3P1/3R2K1 w - - 1 32

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