Chess Puzzle #0Q4FM — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king h1; queen e3; rook a1; bishop c1; knights e2/e5; pawns a2/b2/c3/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen f6; rooks a8/h8; bishops c5/e4; pawns a7/b5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxc5 — queen e3→c5, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qf1+ — queen f6→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Ng1 (knight e2→g1).
  3. Best move: Qxg2# — queen f1→g2, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

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

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/p4ppp/5q2/1pb1N3/4b3/2P1Q3/PP2N1PP/R1B4K w kq - 0 19

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