Chess Puzzle #1j3kY — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king f1; queen b6; rooks e1/g2; bishop d5; pawns a3/b2/c4/f2/h2. Black: king g7; queen f4; rooks a8/f8; bishop d4; pawns b7/c5/e4/f5/g6/h4. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: h3 — pawn h4→h3. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxg6+ — queen b6→g6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g7→h8).
3. Best move: Qh5+ — queen g6→h5, gives check. Opponent replies Qh6 (queen f4→h6).
4. Best move: Qxh6# — queen h5→h6, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Qxh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r2/1p4k1/1Q4p1/2pB1p2/2Pbpq1p/P7/1P3PRP/4RK2 b - - 0 28

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