Chess Puzzle #1OUAC — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1228 · Intermediate · exposed king, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; queen d1; rooks a1/g1; bishops b3/f6; knight b1; pawns a3/b2/c2/d4/g4. Black: king g8; queen d6; rooks a8/f8; bishop g3; knight b8; pawns a5/b5/d5/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Be5 — bishop f6→e5. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qh6+ — queen d6→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Kg2 (king h1→g2).
  3. Best move: Qh2+ — queen h6→h2, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king g2→f1).
  4. Best move: Qf2# — queen h2→f2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

exposed king, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Qf2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rn3rk1/5ppp/3q1B2/pp1p4/3P2P1/PB4b1/1PP5/RN1Q2RK w - - 4 19

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