Chess Puzzle #11TuE — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 885 · Beginner · kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen e2; rooks a1/d1; bishops c1/c4; knight b6; pawns b2/b5/e4/f2/g4. Black: king g8; queen h4; rooks a8/f8; bishop e5; knight b8; pawns a5/c7/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxa8 — knight b6→a8, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qh2+ — queen h4→h2, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king g1→f1).
  3. Best move: Qh1# — queen h2→h1, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qh1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rn3rk1/2p2ppp/1N6/pP2b3/2B1P1Pq/8/1P2QP2/R1BR2K1 w - - 2 19

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