Chess Puzzle #3KoXd — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1070 · Beginner · kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen h6; rooks d1/f4; bishop g6; pawns a2/c2/d4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king h8; queen b2; rooks a8/f8; knight h5; pawns a7/b7/c6/e6/f7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxg6 — pawn f7→g6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf8+ — rook f4→f8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook a8→f8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxf8# — queen h6→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r1k/pp3p1p/2p1p1BQ/7n/3P1R2/7P/PqP2PP1/3R2K1 b - - 0 25

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