Chess Puzzle #2AjAZ — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 448 · Beginner · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short.

Position

White: king b1; queen c2; rooks d4/h1; bishop f1; knight f4; pawns a2/b3/c3/g4. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks c8/f8; bishop f6; knight a5; pawns a3/b5/f5/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxf5 — queen c2→f5, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qe1+ — queen e7→e1, gives check. Opponent replies Rd1 (rook d4→d1).
  3. Best move: Qxd1# — queen e1→d1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short. The combination ends with Qxd1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r2rk1/4q1pp/5b2/np3p2/3R1NP1/pPP5/P1Q5/1K3B1R w - - 2 23

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