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

Rating 1008 · Beginner · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen a6; rooks c1/c8; knight f4; pawns a2/b2/d3/f2/g3/h2. Black: king a8; queen e8; rooks a7/h8; bishops e7/g6; pawns d5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxc8 — queen e8→c8, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxc8+ — rook c1→c8, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc8 (rook h8→c8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxc8# — queen a6→c8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short. The combination ends with Qxc8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: k1R1q2r/r3bppp/Q5b1/3p4/5N2/3P2P1/PP3P1P/2R3K1 b - - 6 29

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