Chess Puzzle #Agawt — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1421 · Intermediate · double check, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen e6; rooks d1/d2; knight f7; pawns a2/b2/f2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen h4; rooks a8/f8; bishop d3; pawns a7/b5/c4/c6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kg8 — king h8→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nh6+ — knight f7→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  3. Best move: Qg8+ — queen e6→g8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxg8 (rook f8→g8, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Nf7# — knight h6→f7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

double check, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice, smothered mate. The combination ends with Nf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r1k/p4Npp/2p1Q3/1p6/2p4q/3b4/PP1R1PPP/3R2K1 b - - 2 19

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