Chess Puzzle #9iaRJ — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen e4; rooks d1/e5; bishop c2; knight b1; pawns a2/b3/d6/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f7; rooks a8/f8; pawns a5/b4/c3/g5/h6. White is ahead by 6 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Re7 — rook e5→e7. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qf2+ — queen f7→f2, gives check. Opponent replies Kh1 (king g1→h1).
  3. Best move: Qf1+ — queen f2→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf1 (rook d1→f1, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf1# — rook f8→f1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

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

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/5q2/3P3p/p3R1p1/1p2Q3/1Pp5/P1B3PP/1N1R2K1 w - - 2 38

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