Chess Puzzle #BCa56 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1547 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king g1; queen g2; rooks d1/e1; bishop e3; pawns a5/b4/c3/f2/g3/h2. Black: king h8; queen g4; rook d8; bishops d6/e4; pawns a6/b5/c4/g7/h7. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qf1 — queen g2→f1. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qf3 — queen g4→f3. Opponent replies h3 (pawn h2→h3).
  3. Best move: Qh1# — queen f3→h1, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qh1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3r3k/6pp/p2b4/Pp6/1Pp1b1q1/2P1B1P1/5PQP/3RR1K1 w - - 5 31

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