Chess Puzzle #1hK3A — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1109 · Beginner · kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king h1; queen h5; rooks a1/h3; bishop b2; pawns a2/b3/d4/f6/g4/h2. Black: king h8; queen b6; rooks f4/g8; bishop f8; knight c8; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/f7/g5/h7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: h6 — pawn h7→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh6+ — queen h5→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Bxh6 (bishop f8→h6, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxh6# — rook h3→h6, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rxh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2n2brk/pp3p1p/1qp2P2/3p2pQ/3P1rP1/1P5R/PB5P/R6K b - - 1 26

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.