Chess Puzzle #5E7uW — Beginner, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1120 · Beginner · kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen h5; rooks a1/e1; bishop d3; knights d4/e4; pawns a2/b2/f2/f4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks a8/f8; bishops c8/e7; knight d5; pawns a6/b7/e6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxf4 — knight d5→f4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf6+ — knight e4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qxh7# — queen h5→h7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qxh7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1bq1rk1/1p2bppp/p3p3/3n3Q/3NNP2/3B4/PP3PPP/R3R1K1 b - - 1 15

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