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

Rating 974 · Beginner · kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, opera mate, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks b1/f1; bishop d6; pawns c2/d4/e5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e8; rook a8; bishop c8; knight c3; pawns a7/b7/c4/d5/e6/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxb1 — knight c3→b1, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qf8+ — queen f3→f8, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf8 (queen e8→f8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, opera mate, short. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b1q1k1/pp4pp/3Bp3/3pP3/2pP4/2n2Q2/2P3PP/1R3RK1 b - - 1 21

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