Chess Puzzle #24LQH — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen b3; bishop a6; knight f1; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/f2/g3/h2. Black: king b8; queen h6; rooks e1/f6; bishop g5; pawns a7/b7/c5/c7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 6 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxa6 — rook f6→a6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qg8+ — queen b3→g8, gives check. Opponent replies Re8 (rook e1→e8).
3. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen g8→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Bd8 (bishop g5→d8).
4. Best move: Qxd8# — queen e8→d8, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

endgame, long, mate, mate in 3, queenside attack. The combination ends with Qxd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1k6/ppp3pp/B4r1q/2p3b1/3P4/1QP3P1/PP3P1P/4rNK1 b - - 1 21

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