Chess Puzzle #712fc — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1564 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king f2; queen e4; rook h1; bishop b3; knight d4; pawns a2/b2/c3/g2. Black: king g8; queen g5; rooks d8/f8; knight f4; pawns a6/b5/c7/d6/f7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rfe8 — rook f8→e8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh7+ — queen e4→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  3. Best move: Qxf7# — queen h7→f7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3r1rk1/2p2p2/p2p4/1p4q1/3NQn2/1BP5/PP3KP1/7R b - - 5 26

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