Chess Puzzle #0YQZd — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 925 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king h1; queen d5; rooks a1/f1; bishop c1; knight b1; pawns a3/b2/c4/d2/g2/h2. Black: king f8; queen g1; rooks e8/h8; bishop e7; knight h3; pawns a7/f4/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxg1 — rook f1→g1, captures queen. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nf2# — knight h3→f2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nf2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 4rk1r/p3bppp/8/3Q4/2P2p2/P6n/1P1P2PP/RNB2RqK w - - 11 20

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