Chess Puzzle #2Oba0 — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 834 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king e1; queen g8; rooks a1/h1; bishops e2/e3; knight h6; pawns a2/b3/c4/d5/f3/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen c8; rooks b8/d8; bishop g7; knights d7/f4; pawns a7/e5/f5/g6/h7. White is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxg8 — rook d8→g8, captures queen. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf7# — knight h6→f7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1rqr2Qk/p2n2bp/6pN/3Ppp2/2P2n2/1P2BP2/P3B1PP/R3K2R b KQ - 9 21

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