Chess Puzzle #4arQ7 — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen b3; rooks a1/f7; bishop c4; knight e2; pawns b2/g2/g7/h3. Black: king g8; queen a7; rooks b8/c8; bishops e3/e4; pawns a6/h7. White is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxb3 — rook b8→b3, captures queen. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rc7+ — rook f7→c7, gives check. Opponent replies Bd5 (bishop e4→d5).
3. Best move: Bxd5# — bishop c4→d5, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

collinear, discovered attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Bxd5# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1rr3k1/q4RPp/p7/8/2B1b3/1Q2b2P/1P2N1P1/R6K b - - 0 25

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