Chess Puzzle #GdMI5 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1450 · Intermediate · long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen c3; rooks c1/c2; bishop h3; pawns a2/b2/d5/e2/e4/f2/h2. Black: king b8; queen b6; rooks d8/h8; bishop e7; knight h5; pawns a7/b7/d6/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bg5 — bishop e7→g5. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qc8+ — queen c3→c8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc8 (rook d8→c8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rxc8+ — rook c2→c8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc8 (rook h8→c8, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Rxc8# — rook c1→c8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxc8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r3r/pp2bpp1/1q1p3p/3P3n/4P3/2Q4B/PPR1PP1P/2R3K1 b - - 1 19

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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