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

Rating 1216 · Intermediate · kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, opening, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen d1; rooks a1/f1; bishops b3/c1; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/c2/f4/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen f6; rooks a8/f8; bishops c8/e3; knight f5; pawns a7/b7/c6/e4/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qe2 — queen d1→e2. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Ng3+ — knight f5→g3, gives check. Opponent replies hxg3 (pawn h2→g3, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qh6+ — queen f6→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Qh5 (queen e2→h5).
  4. Best move: Qxh5# — queen h6→h5, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, opening, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qxh5# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2r1k/pp4pp/2p2q2/5n2/4pP2/1BN1b3/PPP3PP/R1BQ1R1K w - - 2 20

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