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

Rating 816 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king a1; queen f7; rooks d1/f1; bishop e6; knight d7; pawns a2/b2/f5/h2. Black: king a8; queen b1; rooks d8/h8; knight a3; pawns a7/b7/c7/d6/e5/h6/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxb1 — rook d1→b1, captures queen. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nc2# — knight a3→c2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nc2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: k2r3r/pppN1Q1p/3pB2p/4pP2/8/n7/PP5P/Kq1R1R2 w - - 6 25

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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