Chess Puzzle #5YvSx — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1561 · Intermediate · back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king c1; queen a5; rook h1; bishop b3; knight g1; pawns a2/b2/c2/f2/g2/h2. Black: king b8; rooks d8/h8; bishops b5/f6; knight e5; pawns a7/b7/c7/e7/f5/g6/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb5 — queen a5→b5, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Bg5+ — bishop f6→g5, gives check. Opponent replies f4 (pawn f2→f4).
  3. Best move: Bxf4+ — bishop g5→f4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kb1 (king c1→b1).
  4. Best move: Rd1# — rook d8→d1, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Rd1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r3r/ppp1p3/5bpp/Qb2np2/8/1B6/PPP2PPP/2K3NR w - - 0 16

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