Chess Puzzle #2YE2R — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1255 · Intermediate · long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen e1; rooks a1/e5; bishop d5; knight a5; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king b8; queen a8; rooks d8/h8; bishops f8/g6; pawns a7/b6/c7/d4/f5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxd5 — rook d8→d5, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Re8+ — rook e5→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Bxe8 (bishop g6→e8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen e1→e8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Rd8 (rook d5→d8).
  4. Best move: Qxd8# — queen e8→d8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qxd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: qk1r1b1r/p1p3pp/1p4b1/N2BRp2/3p4/3P4/PPP2PPP/R3Q1K1 b - - 5 23

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