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

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

Position

White: king g1; rooks e5/f1; bishop b3; knight b5; pawns a2/b2/g2/h2. Black: king e7; rooks a8/d8; bishop c8; knight b6; pawns a7/b7/d4/f6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxe5 — pawn f6→e5, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rf7+ — rook f1→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke8 (king e7→e8).
  3. Best move: Nc7# — knight b5→c7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Nc7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1br4/pp2k1pp/1n3p2/1N2R3/3p4/1B6/PP4PP/5RK1 b - - 0 22

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