Chess Puzzle #2RDrA — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1272 · Intermediate · deflection, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen f2; rooks f1/h3; bishop c2; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/e5/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen g5; rooks a8/h6; knight f8; pawns a7/b7/c4/d5/e6/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxh3 — rook h6→h3, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qf7+ — queen f2→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  3. Best move: Qxf8+ — queen f7→f8, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook a8→f8, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

deflection, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4nk1/pp4pp/4p2r/3pP1q1/2pP4/2P4R/PPB2QPP/5RK1 b - - 8 22

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