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

Rating 1489 · Intermediate · clearance, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen d4; rook d1; bishops b3/h6; pawns a2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e2; rooks a8/e8; knight b8; pawns a6/b5/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qe5 — queen e2→e5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe5 — queen d4→e5, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxe5 (rook e8→e5, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d1→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Re8 (rook e5→e8).
  4. Best move: Rxe8# — rook d8→e8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

clearance, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Rxe8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rn2r1k1/5p1p/p5pB/1p6/3Q4/1B6/P3q2P/3R2K1 b - - 0 26

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