Chess Puzzle #34NLu — Intermediate, Black to move, opening

Rating 1356 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen a4; rooks a1/h1; bishops c1/g2; knights d2/f3; pawns a2/b5/c3/e3/f2/h4. Black: king c8; queen e7; rooks d8/h8; bishops d3/g3; knights c6/g8; pawns a6/b7/c7/f6/g5/h5. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: bxc6 — pawn b5→c6, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe3+ — queen e7→e3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd1 (king e1→d1).
  3. Best move: Qe2# — queen e3→e2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, short. The combination ends with Qe2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2kr2nr/1pp1q3/p1n2p2/1P4pp/Q6P/2PbPNb1/P2N1PB1/R1B1K2R w KQ - 0 14

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