Chess Puzzle #17qYE — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 690 · Beginner · kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen d3; rooks c1/h1; bishop e2; pawns a4/b2/c3/d4/f2/g2/g3. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks a8/e8; knight a5; pawns a7/b7/c5/d5/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: c4 — pawn c5→c4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen d3→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  3. Best move: Qh8# — queen h7→h8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qh8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/pp2qppp/8/n1pp4/P2P4/2PQ2P1/1P2BPP1/2R1K2R b K - 1 18

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