Chess Puzzle #6c8dx — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1413 · Intermediate · fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen g6; rooks c1/f1; bishop e3; knights a4/g5; pawns a2/b2/d4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king f8; queen d8; rooks a8/h8; bishops d7/e7; knights b4/f6; pawns a7/b7/d5/e6/g7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Be8 — bishop d7→e8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nxe6+ — knight g5→e6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f8→g8).
  3. Best move: Qxg7# — queen g6→g7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxg7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r2q1k1r/pp1bb1p1/4pnQ1/3p2N1/Nn1P4/4B3/PP3PPP/2R2RK1 b - - 2 17

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