Chess Puzzle #6Ej0S — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2154 · Expert · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c1; queen h5; rooks h1/h3; bishops f1/h6; pawns a2/b2/c3/d3/f4/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen e6; rooks c8/e8; bishop d7; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/d6/e5/f5/f7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxa2 — queen e6→a2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Bg7+ — bishop h6→g7, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg7 (king h8→g7, captures bishop).
  3. Best move: Qh6+ — queen h5→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king g7→g8).
  4. Best move: Rg3+ — rook h3→g3, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  5. Best move: Qg7# — queen h6→g7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Qg7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r1r2k/pp1b1p1p/2npq2B/4pp1Q/5P2/2PP3R/PP4PP/2K2B1R b - - 2 20

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