Chess Puzzle #41D3a — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1547 · Intermediate · back rank mate, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen b5; rooks d4/e1; knight b7; pawns a2/b2/c2/g2/h2. Black: king d7; queen f7; rooks e5/f8; knight c6; pawns c7/d5/g7/h6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxe5 — rook e1→e5, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qf2+ — queen f7→f2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh1 (king g1→h1).
  3. Best move: Qf1+ — queen f2→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf1 (queen b5→f1, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf1# — rook f8→f1, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Rxf1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5r2/1Npk1qp1/2n4p/1Q1pr3/3R4/8/PPP3PP/4R1K1 w - - 1 28

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