Chess Puzzle #7koLX — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1731 · Advanced · kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen b7; rooks a1/d7; bishop d2; knight f3; pawns a2/b2/c5/e3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen f6; rooks f8/g5; knight h4; pawns a7/c7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 6 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxg5 — knight f3→g5, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf2+ — queen f6→f2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh1 (king g1→h1).
  3. Best move: Qf1+ — queen f2→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf1 (rook a1→f1, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf1# — rook f8→f1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxf1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5r1k/pQpR2pp/5q2/2P3r1/7n/4PN2/PP1B1PPP/R5K1 w - - 5 21

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