Chess Puzzle #6HfOL — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1617 · Advanced · attraction, endgame, mate, mate in 4, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king b1; queen c2; rooks g1/h3; pawns a2/b2/c4/d5/f2/f3. Black: king g7; queen e7; rooks a8/f8; pawns a6/b7/d6/e5/f4/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rac8 — rook a8→c8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h3→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king g7→h7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxg6+ — queen c2→g6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
  4. Best move: Rh1+ — rook g1→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Qh4 (queen e7→h4).
  5. Best move: Rxh4# — rook h1→h4, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, endgame, mate, mate in 4, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rxh4# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r2/1p2q1kp/p2p2p1/3Pp3/2P2p2/5P1R/PPQ2P2/1K4R1 b - - 0 25

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