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

Rating 1265 · Intermediate · clearance, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king h2; queen d1; rooks c1/e1; bishop e5; pawns a3/b4/d6/f2/f6/g3/h4. Black: king f7; queen g8; rooks a8/g4; bishop c6; pawns a6/b7/c4/e6/f5/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qe2 — queen d1→e2. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh4+ — rook g4→h4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh4 (pawn g3→h4, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qg2# — queen g8→g2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

clearance, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qg2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5q1/1p3k1p/p1bPpP2/4Bp2/1Pp3rP/P5P1/5P1K/2RQR3 w - - 0 26

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