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

Rating 1234 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen g5; rooks d1/e1; bishop f3; pawns a3/e4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen e6; rooks a8/c3; bishop e5; pawns b2/d6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Raxa3 — rook a8→a3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qd8+ — queen g5→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Qe8 (queen e6→e8).
  3. Best move: Qxe8# — queen d8→e8, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxe8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/5ppp/3pq3/4b1Q1/4P3/P1r2B1P/1p3PP1/3RR1K1 b - - 1 28

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