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

Rating 1263 · Intermediate · advanced pawn, discovered attack, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame.

Position

White: king c1; queen g3; rooks d2/e1; bishop d4; knight b1; pawns a2/b2/c3/f4/g6/h5. Black: king g8; queen c4; rooks c8/f8; bishops e7/f5; pawns a4/b4/d6/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxa2 — queen c4→a2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: gxh7+ — pawn g6→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Bxh7 (bishop f5→h7, captures pawn).
  3. Best move: Qxg7# — queen g3→g7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, discovered attack, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxg7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r2rk1/4bppp/3pp1P1/5b1P/ppqB1P2/2P3Q1/PP1R4/1NK1R3 b - - 0 26

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