Chess Puzzle #426nd — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1586 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king b1; queen c2; rooks g1/g3; bishop f6; pawns a2/c5/e5/f2/f4/h2. Black: king h8; queen d5; rooks a8/f8; knight a5; pawns a3/b2/c7/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: gxf6 — pawn g7→f6, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen c2→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh3# — rook g3→h3, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rh3# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r1k/2p2ppp/4pB2/n1PqP3/5P2/p5R1/PpQ2P1P/1K4R1 b - - 7 30

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.