Chess Puzzle #7zbLt — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · advanced pawn, double check, kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame.

Position

White: king h1; queen d1; rooks a1/e1; bishop g5; knight d2; pawns a2/b3/c2/d3/g2/h2. Black: king d7; queen b6; rooks a8/h8; bishop e6; pawns a7/c6/d5/f7/g3/g7. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: h3 — pawn h2→h3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh3+ — rook h8→h3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh3 (pawn g2→h3, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qf2 — queen b6→f2. Opponent replies Re2 (rook e1→e2).
  4. Best move: g2+ — pawn g3→g2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh2 (king h1→h2).
  5. Best move: g1=Q# — pawn g2→g1, promotes to queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, double check, kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, promotion, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with g1=Q# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r6r/p2k1pp1/1qp1b3/3p2B1/8/1P1P2p1/P1PN2PP/R2QR2K w - - 0 17

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