Chess Puzzle #1uyc7 — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 753 · Beginner · back rank mate, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen e3; rook e1; bishop g3; knight f2; pawns a4/b3/c2/f4/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen a5; rooks b8/e8; knight e4; pawns a7/c6/c7/d6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxg3 — knight e4→g3, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen e3→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxe8 (rook b8→e8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxe8# — rook e1→e8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Rxe8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1r2r1k1/p1p2ppp/2pp4/q7/P3nP2/1P2Q1BP/2P2NP1/4R1K1 b - - 1 27

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.