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

Rating 1515 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king e3; queen g3; rooks g1/g7; bishop d3; pawns a3/b4/d5/e4/f3/f5/h3. Black: king h8; queen e7; rooks c8/e8; knight e5; pawns a6/b7/c6/d6/f7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: cxd5 — pawn c6→d5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook g7→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qg7# — queen g3→g7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qg7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r1r2k/1p2qpRp/p1pp4/3PnP2/1P2P3/P2BKPQP/8/6R1 b - - 2 25

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