Chess Puzzle #23mT6 — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 895 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king h1; queen b3; rooks d1/e1; bishop f1; knights a4/f3; pawns a2/b2/d5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen g1; rooks a8/f8; bishops b7/g7; knight h3; pawns a6/b5/d6/e7/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxg1 — knight f3→g1, captures queen. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nf2# — knight h3→f2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nf2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/1b2ppbp/p2p2p1/1p1P4/N7/1Q3N1n/PP4PP/3RRBqK w - - 4 20

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