Chess Puzzle #CZmUY — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1529 · Intermediate · kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen f2; rooks a1/f1; knight d4; pawns a5/b3/e5/f4/g2/h3. Black: king e7; queen h5; rooks c3/h8; bishop d7; pawns a7/b6/d5/e6/f7/g6/g7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: axb6 — pawn a5→b6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh3+ — rook c3→h3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh3 (pawn g2→h3, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxh3+ — queen h5→h3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qh2 (queen f2→h2).
  4. Best move: Qxh2# — queen h3→h2, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qxh2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 7r/p2bkpp1/1p2p1p1/P2pP2q/3N1P2/1Pr4P/5QP1/R4R1K w - - 1 26

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