Chess Puzzle #Cp5cu — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1496 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king h1; queen h4; rooks e4/f1; bishop b3; pawns a2/b2/f5/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen c7; rooks a8/f8; bishop c5; pawns a6/b5/f6/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rae8 — rook a8→e8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h4→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh4# — rook e4→h4, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rh4# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4r1k/2q3pp/p4p2/1pb2P2/4R2Q/1B6/PP4PP/5R1K b - - 0 23

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