Chess Puzzle #10oHd — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 915 · Beginner · back rank mate, endgame, long, mate, mate in 3, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen h4; rooks d1/d5; pawns a3/c4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen b2; rooks e4/f8; pawns a7/b6/c5/d6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen h4→e4, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf2+ — queen b2→f2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh1 (king g1→h1).
  3. Best move: Qf1+ — queen f2→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf1 (rook d1→f1, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf1# — rook f8→f1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, endgame, long, mate, mate in 3, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxf1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/p5pp/1p1p4/2pR4/2P1r2Q/P7/1q3PPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 25

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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