Chess Puzzle #0Tzuc — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king d2; queen f6; rook a1; bishop e6; knight b1; pawns a2/c3/f2/h2. Black: king e8; queen a5; rook a8; bishops f3/f8; knight g1; pawns a6/d6/f7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qe5 — queen a5→e5. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f6→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
3. Best move: Qd7# — queen f7→d7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attack on f2/f7, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qd7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3kb2/5p2/p2pBQ2/q7/8/2P2b2/P2K1P1P/RN4n1 b q - 0 23

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