Chess Puzzle #4AYb5 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1343 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen d3; rooks a1/f1; bishop b2; knight c3; pawns a2/b3/d2/f3/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen h4; rook f6; bishop c5; knights b7/h7; pawns a7/c6/f4/g7. White is ahead by 4 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Ne4 — knight c3→e4. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh2+ — queen h4→h2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh2 (king h1→h2, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh6# — rook f6→h6, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 7k/pn4pn/2p2r2/2b5/5p1q/1PNQ1P2/PB1P2PP/R4R1K w - - 4 24

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