Chess Puzzle #AgS68 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1489 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king a5; queen f7; rooks a1/h1; bishop c3; pawns a4/b2/e3/h2. Black: king c6; rook h8; bishops a6/c5; knight h5; pawns b7/h7. White is ahead by 10 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxh5 — queen f7→h5, captures knight. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: b6+ — pawn b7→b6, gives check. Opponent replies Kxa6 (king a5→a6, captures bishop).
  3. Best move: Ra8# — rook h8→a8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Ra8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 7r/1p3Q1p/b1k5/K1b4n/P7/2B1P3/1P5P/R6R w - - 1 32

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