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

Rating 1420 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen g4; rooks f1/h3; bishop d4; pawns a2/b3/c2/c6/f2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen c7; rooks a8/g8; bishop f6; pawns a6/b5/d5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bxd4 — bishop f6→d4, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h3→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qh5# — queen g4→h5, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qh5# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5rk/2q2ppp/p1P1pb2/1p1p4/3B2Q1/1P5R/P1P2PPP/5RK1 b - - 7 22

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