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

Rating 1515 · Intermediate · advanced pawn, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; rooks c1/f1; bishop d3; knight e5; pawns a2/b2/d4/g2/g6/h2. Black: king f8; queen d8; rooks a8/e8; bishop c8; knight e3; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/f7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxc2 — knight e3→c2, captures queen. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf7+ — rook f1→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f8→g8).
  3. Best move: gxh7+ — pawn g6→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  4. Best move: Ng6# — knight e5→g6, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Ng6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1bqrk2/pp3p1p/2p3P1/3pN3/3P4/3Bn3/PPQ3PP/2R2RK1 b - - 0 18

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