Chess Puzzle #D4bVQ — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1412 · Intermediate · clearance, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short.

Position

White: king e1; queen g1; rooks f7/g7; knight d2; pawns c3/f3. Black: king h8; queen f4; rooks c8/f8; knight f6; pawns d4/e6/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: dxc3 — pawn d4→c3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rh7+ — rook g7→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Nxh7 (knight f6→h7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qg7# — queen g1→g7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

clearance, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qg7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r2r1k/5RR1/4pn1p/8/3p1q2/2P2P2/3N4/4K1Q1 b - - 0 30

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