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

Rating 1552 · Intermediate · back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c1; rooks d2/h1; knights e5/e7; pawns a2/b2/c3/e4/f3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; rooks a8/f8; bishops a7/c8; knight f1; pawns a6/b7/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kh8 — king g8→h8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxf7+ — knight e5→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d2→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
  4. Best move: Rxf8# — rook d8→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/bp2Nppp/p7/4N3/4P3/2P2P2/PP1R2PP/2K2n1R b - - 1 19

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