Chess Puzzle #1E4Cc — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1452 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen e5; rooks b7/f1; knight f6; pawns a3/b2/f2/g2/h4. Black: king d8; queen c7; rooks c8/h8; knight e7; pawns a7/d5/e6/f7/g6/h5. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb7 — queen c7→b7, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qd6+ — queen e5→d6, gives check. Opponent replies Qd7 (queen b7→d7).
  3. Best move: Qxd7# — queen d6→d7, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxd7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2rk3r/pRq1np2/4pNp1/3pQ2p/7P/P7/1P3PP1/5RK1 b - - 0 25

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