Chess Puzzle #44qlc — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1072 · Beginner · hanging piece, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short.

Position

White: king b1; queen e6; rooks d2/f1; knight d5; pawns a2/b3/c2/e4/g5/h4. Black: king b7; queen c7; rooks c8/f8; bishop e7; pawns a3/b5/d6/e5/g6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxc7 — knight d5→c7, captures queen. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf1+ — rook f8→f1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rd1 (rook d2→d1).
  3. Best move: Rxd1# — rook f1→d1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

hanging piece, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short. The combination ends with Rxd1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r2r2/1kq1b3/3pQ1p1/1p1Np1P1/4P2P/pP6/P1PR4/1K3R2 w - - 9 36

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