Chess Puzzle #50DES — Beginner, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1057 · Beginner · fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king e2; queen g4; rooks b1/h1; knight g3; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/e3/f2. Black: king g8; queen b5; rooks a8/e8; knight f3; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/e4/g6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kd1 — king e2→d1. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qd3+ — queen b5→d3, gives check. Opponent replies Kc1 (king d1→c1).
  3. Best move: Qd2# — queen d3→d2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qd2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/pp6/2p3p1/1q1p4/3Pp1Q1/2P1PnN1/PP2KP2/1R5R w - - 3 23

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