Chess Puzzle #1J31C — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 430 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, queenside attack.

Position

White: king c1; queen f3; rooks d1/h1; bishop b2; knight e3; pawns a3/b3/d4/f2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks a8/c8; bishop g7; knight c2; pawns a7/b6/d6/e7/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxc2 — knight e3→c2, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxc2# — queen c7→c2, captures knight, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, queenside attack. The combination ends with Qxc2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1r3k1/p1q1ppbp/1p1p2p1/8/3P4/PP2NQP1/1Bn2P1P/2KR3R w - - 0 19

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