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

Rating 1295 · Intermediate · attraction, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice.

Position

White: king b3; queen a4; rooks a1/a8; pawns c3/c4/d4/f2/f3/g3. Black: king c8; queen e1; rooks e2/h8; knight b8; pawns b6/c7/d6/f5/g5/h6. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qd2 — queen e1→d2. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxb8+ — rook a8→b8, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kxb8 (king c8→b8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qa8# — queen a4→a8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qa8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: Rnk4r/2p5/1p1p3p/5pp1/Q1PP4/1KP2PP1/4rP2/R3q3 b - - 10 30

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