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

Rating 1318 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c1; queen c5; rooks d1/e3; knight f3; pawns a2/b2/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e4; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; pawns a7/b7/c6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qg6 — queen e4→g6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf8+ — queen c5→f8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxf8 (king g8→f8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rd8# — rook d1→d8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/2p5/2Q5/4q3/4RN2/PP3PPP/2KR4 b - - 1 19

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