Chess Puzzle #17Sib — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1370 · Intermediate · back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g2; queen d5; rooks c1/c2; pawns a3/b4/e5/f2/f3/h3. Black: king a8; queen f4; rooks d8/h8; knight d7; pawns a7/b6/b7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxe5 — knight d7→e5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxd8+ — queen d5→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook h8→d8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rc8+ — rook c2→c8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc8 (rook d8→c8, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Rxc8# — rook c1→c8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxc8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: k2r3r/pp1n2pp/1p6/3QP3/1P3q2/P4P1P/2R2PK1/2R5 b - - 0 28

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