Chess Puzzle #5LcFM — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen d8; rook e1; knight d5; pawns e3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king f8; queen b2; rook d2; knight e8; pawns a2/e4/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: a1=Q — pawn a2→a1, promotes to queen. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qe7+ — queen d8→e7, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f8→g8).
3. Best move: Qxe8# — queen e7→e8, captures knight, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

deflection, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxe8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3Qnk2/5ppp/8/3N4/4p3/4P3/pq1r1PPP/4R1K1 b - - 0 40

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