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

Position

White: king h1; queen f4; rooks f1/f2; bishop e6; pawns d4/e5/g5/h2. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks a8/c7; bishop b7; pawns a4/b5/d5/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxe6 — queen e7→e6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qf8+ — queen f4→f8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook a8→f8, captures queen).
3. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f2→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/1br1q1pp/4B3/1p1pP1P1/p2P1Q2/8/5R1P/5R1K b - - 0 31

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