Chess Puzzle #3RmW1 — Beginner, White to move, opening

Rating 1078 · Beginner · mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate.

Position

White: king e1; queen d3; rooks a1/h1; bishop g5; knights b5/f3; pawns a2/b2/c2/d5/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen d8; rooks a8/h8; bishops d7/f8; knights e7/g8; pawns c5/d6/e5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (1 move)

  1. Opponent setup: h6 — pawn h7→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxd6# — knight b5→d6, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 1, middlegame, one move, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nxd6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r2qkbnr/3bnppp/3p4/1NpPp1B1/4P3/3Q1N2/PPP2PPP/R3K2R b KQkq - 0 11

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