Chess Puzzle #3EHpM — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1476 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king d2; queen c4; bishop h4; knight c7; pawns a2/c2/f2/h2. Black: king e8; queen c6; rooks a8/h8; bishops c8/f8; pawns a6/b7/d6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 12 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kd7 — king e8→d7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen c4→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Be7 (bishop f8→e7).
  3. Best move: Qxe7# — queen f7→e7, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxe7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b1kb1r/1pN2ppp/p1qp4/8/2Q4B/8/P1PK1P1P/8 b kq - 1 17

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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