Chess Puzzle #1ZUp0 — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen e2; rooks c1/e1; bishop f4; pawns b2/b3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king b8; queen d5; rooks a8/e8; knights f6/g6; pawns a7/b7/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxf4 — knight g6→f4, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen e2→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Nxe8 (knight f6→e8, captures queen).
3. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook e1→e8, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Qd8 (queen d5→d8).
4. Best move: Rxd8# — rook e8→d8, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack. The combination ends with Rxd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rk2r3/pp3ppp/5nn1/3q4/5B2/1P6/1P2QPPP/2R1R1K1 b - - 7 22

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