Chess Puzzle #08IVZ — Intermediate, White to move, opening

Rating 1266 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king e1; queen e8; rooks a1/h1; bishops b3/c1; knights c3/d6; pawns a2/b2/c2/d4/e4/g2/h2. Black: king d8; queen c8; rooks a8/f8; bishops a7/b7; knights c6/e7; pawns a6/b5/c7/d7/f6/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxe8 — rook f8→e8, captures queen. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf7# — knight d6→f7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1qkQr2/bbppn2p/p1nN1p2/1p6/3PP3/1BN5/PPP3PP/R1B1K2R b KQ - 5 15

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