Chess Puzzle #4JOsl — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1092 · Beginner · back rank mate, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks f1/f2; bishop g5; knight h5; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen b6; rooks e6/e8; knights f6/g6; pawns a7/b7/c7/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxh5 — knight f6→h5, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f3→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  3. Best move: Qf8+ — queen f7→f8, gives check. Opponent replies Nxf8 (knight g6→f8, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf8+ — rook f2→f8, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook e8→f8, captures rook).
  5. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 4r1k1/ppp2ppp/1q2rnn1/6BN/3P4/2P2Q2/PP3RPP/5RK1 b - - 6 20

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