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

Rating 1257 · Intermediate · back rank mate, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; queen f5; rook f1; bishop e2; knight d2; pawns a3/b2/c3/d4/e5/g2. Black: king g8; queen e3; rook a8; bishops b7/h6; pawns a6/b5/c4/d5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe2 — queen e3→e2, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qf7+ — queen f5→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  3. Best move: Qf8+ — queen f7→f8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook a8→f8, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/1b4pp/p6b/1p1pPQ2/2pP4/P1P1q3/1P1NB1P1/5R1K b - - 1 23

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.