Chess Puzzle #ER5WQ — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1431 · Intermediate · mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short.

Position

White: king h1; queen e4; rooks c1/f1; knights b3/b4; pawns a2/b2/f4/g3. Black: king b8; queen d7; rooks g8/h8; knights e6/g4; pawns a7/b6/c7/f7/h3/h5. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nf6 — knight g4→f6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Na6+ — knight b4→a6, gives check. Opponent replies Kc8 (king b8→c8).
  3. Best move: Qa8# — queen e4→a8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 2, middlegame, queenside attack, short. The combination ends with Qa8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1k4rr/p1pq1p2/1p2n3/7p/1N2QPn1/1N4Pp/PP6/2R2R1K b - - 0 26

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