Chess Puzzle #0e0Nq — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 719 · Beginner · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen d7; rooks d1/h1; bishop c5; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/e6/f2/f4/h2. Black: king f8; queen b6; rooks a8/h8; bishop g7; knight g8; pawns a6/b7/e7/f5/g6/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxc5 — queen b6→c5, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qd8+ — queen d7→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook a8→d8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxd8# — rook d1→d8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rxd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4knr/1p1Qp1b1/pq2P1pp/2B2p2/5P2/2N5/PP3P1P/2KR3R b - - 0 17

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