Chess Puzzle #23THw — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 448 · Beginner · back rank mate, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen e4; rook e1; bishop c5; knight f3; pawns a4/b4/f5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks a8/e8; bishop a1; knight e7; pawns c6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nd5 — knight e7→d5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen e4→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxe8 (rook a8→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: r3r1k1/2q1nppp/2p5/2B2P2/PP2Q3/5N2/6PP/b3R1K1 b - - 0 23

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