Chess Puzzle #4TcLb — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1397 · Intermediate · attraction, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen e6; rooks a3/f5; knight g3; pawns g2/h3. Black: king h8; queen b4; rooks d2/f8; knight d5; pawns c5/c6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rg8 — rook f8→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxg8+ — queen e6→g8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg8 (king h8→g8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Ra8+ — rook a3→a8, gives check. Opponent replies Qb8 (queen b4→b8).
  4. Best move: Rxb8# — rook a8→b8, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxb8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5r1k/6pp/2p1Q3/2pn1R2/1q6/R5NP/3r2P1/7K b - - 0 28

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