Chess Puzzle #56pAr — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen c7; rook g1; knights e1/f1; pawns a2/b3/b7/e4/f2/h2. Black: king f6; queen h3; rook h6; bishops f4/g4; pawns a7/e5/f3/h7. White is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: b8=Q — pawn b7→b8, promotes to queen. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qxh2+ — queen h3→h2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Nxh2 (knight f1→h2, captures queen).
3. Best move: Rxh2# — rook h6→h2, captures knight, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, opera mate, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rxh2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 8/pPQ4p/5k1r/4p3/4Pbb1/1P3p1q/P4P1P/4NNRK w - - 0 38

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