Chess Puzzle #BjFB8 — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1771 · Advanced · mate, mate in 4, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king f1; queen a7; rooks a1/e2; bishop c1; knights d2/g1; pawns a2/b3/d4/e3/f2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen f6; rooks f7/f8; bishops b4/b7; knight d7; pawns b6/e4/g4/h7. White is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb7 — queen a7→b7, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf2+ — queen f6→f2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf2 (rook e2→f2, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxf2+ — rook f7→f2, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Ke1 (king f1→e1).
  4. Best move: Rf1+ — rook f2→f1, gives check. Opponent replies Ke2 (king e1→e2).
  5. Best move: R8f2# — rook f8→f2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 4, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with R8f2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/Qb1n1r1p/1p3q2/8/1b1Pp1p1/1P2P1P1/P2NRP1P/R1B2KN1 w - - 1 23

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