Chess Puzzle #14EfS — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 840 · Beginner · fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen h5; rook a1; bishop g5; knights b1/g1; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/f2/h2. Black: king d8; queen h1; rooks a8/g7; bishops c8/f8; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/c7/d7/e4. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Be7 — bishop f8→e7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh8+ — queen h5→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Rg8 (rook g7→g8).
  3. Best move: Qxg8# — queen h8→g8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxg8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1bk1b2/pppp2r1/2n5/6BQ/4p3/3P4/PPP2P1P/RN2K1Nq b Q - 1 13

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