Chess Puzzle #05Hzy — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1529 · Intermediate · kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen c4; rooks e1/f1; knight a3; pawns a2/b2/g2/g5/h2. Black: king g8; queen e5; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; pawns a6/b7/c5/d4/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxg5 — queen e5→g5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen c4→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Re8+ — rook e1→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
  4. Best move: Rfxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rfxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/1p3ppp/p7/2p1q1P1/2Qp4/N7/PP4PP/4RRK1 b - - 1 18

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