Chess Puzzle #55CnH — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1208 · Intermediate · advanced pawn, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king c1; queen f3; rooks d1/h1; bishops c2/c3; knight g1; pawns a3/b2/d4/f2/g6. Black: king g8; queen b7; rooks a8/b8; bishops a6/e7; knight d5; pawns a4/c6/e6/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: h6 — pawn h7→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qf7+ — queen f3→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  3. Best move: Rxh6+ — rook h1→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh6 (pawn g7→h6, captures rook).
  4. Best move: g7# — pawn g6→g7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with g7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rr4k1/1q2b1pp/b1p1p1P1/3n4/p2P4/P1B2Q2/1PB2P2/2KR2NR b - - 0 25

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