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

Rating 1554 · Intermediate · attraction, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king h1; queen g6; rooks g1/h3; bishop c3; pawns a2/b2/e5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f2; rooks a8/f8; bishop b5; pawns a7/b7/e6/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxh6 — rook h3→h6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxg1+ — queen f2→g1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg1 (king h1→g1, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rf1# — rook f8→f1, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rf1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/pp4p1/4p1Qp/1b2P3/8/2B4R/PP3qPP/6RK w - - 3 23

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