Chess Puzzle #52aRI — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2302 · Expert · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king c1; queen h3; rook h1; bishops c4/g5; pawns a4/c2/f2. Black: king h8; queen c7; rooks d8/e8; knight h7; pawns a7/c5/f5/g6. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qg7 — queen c7→g7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h3→h7, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Qxh7 (queen g7→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Bf6# — bishop g5→f6, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Bf6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3rr2k/p1q4n/6p1/2p2pB1/P1B5/7Q/2P2P2/2K4R b - - 0 28

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