Chess Puzzle #CYm5W — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, short.

Position

White: king f2; queen f6; knights c3/f4; pawns d4/e3/f3/g2/g4. Black: king f8; queen d7; rooks a8/e8; knight c7; pawns a5/b2/d5/f7. Black is ahead by 6 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Re6 — rook e8→e6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ng6+ — knight f4→g6, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f8→g8).
  3. Best move: Qh8# — queen f6→h8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, short. The combination ends with Qh8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3rk2/2nq1p2/5Q2/p2p4/3P1NP1/2N1PP2/1p3KP1/8 b - - 5 28

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