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

Rating 1446 · Intermediate · endgame, long, mate, mate in 3.

Position

White: king h1; queen f2; rook f1; pawns b6/e5/g2/g5/h4. Black: king g8; queen a6; bishop g7; pawns a2/d5/e6/f7/g6/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: a1=Q — pawn a2→a1, promotes to queen. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f2→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  3. Best move: Qe8+ — queen f7→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Bf8 (bishop g7→f8).
  4. Best move: Qxf8# — queen e8→f8, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

endgame, long, mate, mate in 3. The combination ends with Qxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 6k1/5pbp/qP2p1p1/3pP1P1/7P/8/p4QP1/5R1K b - - 2 51

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