Chess Puzzle #18d8x — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 949 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king g1; queen g8; rooks e1/f4; knight h6; pawns a3/b2/f2/g3/h4. Black: king h8; queen d2; rooks a8/f8; knight g4; pawns a7/b6/g7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxg8 — rook f8→g8, captures queen. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf7# — knight h6→f7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4rQk/p5pp/1p5N/8/5RnP/P5P1/1P1q1P2/4R1K1 b - - 4 29

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