Chess Puzzle #25VAi — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen c2; rook f1; bishop b1; knight d7; pawns c4/f4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen c5; rooks c8/f8; knight f6; pawns a7/b5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxc4 — queen c5→c4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight d7→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
3. Best move: Qxh7# — queen c2→h7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxh7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r2rk1/p2N1ppp/4pn2/1pq5/2P2P2/8/2Q3PP/1B3R1K b - - 1 24

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