Chess Puzzle #2No2a — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen e4; rook c1; bishop a3; knight g5; pawns a2/c3/d4/f5/g3. Black: king e8; queen a5; rooks b8/h8; knight e3; pawns a4/c6/e6/f7/g7/h5. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxf5 — knight e3→f5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxc6+ — queen e4→c6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
3. Best move: Nxf7# — knight g5→f7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

deflection, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Nxf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1r2k2r/5pp1/2p1p3/q4PNp/p2PQ3/B1P1n1P1/P7/2R3K1 b k - 2 30

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