Chess Puzzle #19Zaz — Intermediate, White to move, opening

Rating 1200 · Intermediate · advanced pawn, attack on f2/f7, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen a1; rook h1; bishops c4/e3; knights d2/f3; pawns a2/c2/d3/e6/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen d8; rooks a8/h8; bishop c8; knights c6/g4; pawns a7/b7/c5/d7/e7/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nf6 — knight g4→f6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: exf7+ — pawn e6→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king e8→f8).
  3. Best move: Bh6# — bishop e3→h6, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, attack on f2/f7, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Bh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1bqk2r/pp1ppp1p/2n1P1p1/2p5/2B3n1/3PBN2/P1PN1PPP/Q3K2R b Kkq - 0 9

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