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

Rating 1445 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c1; queen e4; rooks g1/g4; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/c2/d4/f2/f3/h2. Black: king h8; queen f6; rooks a8/f8; bishop d7; knight c6; pawns a7/b7/c7/e6/f4/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxd4 — queen f6→d4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen e4→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh4# — rook g4→h4, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rh4# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r1k/pppb3p/2n1pq2/8/3PQpR1/2N2P2/PPP2P1P/2K3R1 b - - 5 19

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