Chess Puzzle #42o6C — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1217 · Intermediate · long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen d3; rooks f1/g3; bishop c2; pawns a2/c3/c5/d4/f4/g2/h3. Black: king g7; queen h4; rooks a8/f8; knight a5; pawns a6/b5/d5/e6/f7/g6/h6. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nc4 — knight a5→c4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxg6+ — rook g3→g6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies fxg6 (pawn f7→g6, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxg6+ — queen d3→g6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g7→h8).
  4. Best move: Qh7# — queen g6→h7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qh7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r2/5pk1/p3p1pp/npPp4/3P1P1q/2PQ2RP/P1B3P1/5RK1 b - - 6 25

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