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

Rating 1583 · Intermediate · long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice, X-ray attack.

Position

White: king b1; queen h4; rooks d1/f4; knight d4; pawns a2/b3/c2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen g6; rooks d8/e2; bishop a6; pawns a7/b7/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxd4 — rook d8→d4, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qd8+ — queen h4→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd8 (rook d4→d8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook d1→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Re8 (rook e2→e8).
  4. Best move: Rxe8# — rook d8→e8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice, X-ray attack. The combination ends with Rxe8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3r2k1/pp3ppp/b5q1/8/3N1R1Q/1P5P/P1P1r1P1/1K1R4 b - - 4 28

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