Chess Puzzle #17Fji — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 940 · Beginner · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen e2; rook h1; bishop f1; knight e5; pawns a2/b2/c2/f4/g5/h2. Black: king g8; queen d8; rook a8; bishops c5/c8; pawns a7/b7/e6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qc4 — queen e2→c4. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Be3+ — bishop c5→e3, gives check. Opponent replies Kb1 (king c1→b1).
  3. Best move: Qd1# — queen d8→d1, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short. The combination ends with Qd1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1bq2k1/pp3ppp/4p3/2b1N1P1/5P2/8/PPP1Q2P/2K2B1R w - - 0 17

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