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

Rating 1560 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen h6; rooks b1/f3; knight c3; pawns c2/e5/f6/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen c8; rook g8; bishop b4; knight d7; pawns a5/d5/e6/f7/g6/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bxc3 — bishop b4→c3, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h6→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh3# — rook f3→h3, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rh3# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2q3rk/3n1p1p/4pPpQ/p2pP3/1b6/2N2R2/2P3PP/1R5K b - - 5 27

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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