Chess Puzzle #1giV5 — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1006 · Beginner · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen d3; rooks d1/h1; knight f7; pawns b2/c2/e4/f4/g4/h3. Black: king c8; queen a2; rooks d8/h8; bishop h7; pawns a7/b7/c7/d5/f6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: dxe4 — pawn d5→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxd8+ — queen d3→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook h8→d8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxd8# — rook d1→d8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short. The combination ends with Rxd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2kr3r/ppp2N1b/5p2/3p4/4PPP1/3Q3P/qPP5/2KR3R b - - 1 22

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