Chess Puzzle #HBxMK — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen h3; rook e1; bishops c2/e3; knight g7; pawns a2/b2/c3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen a5; rooks d5/f8; bishop c8; pawns a6/c6/f5/f7/g6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kxg7 — king g8→g7, captures knight. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qh6+ — queen h3→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king g7→g8).
3. Best move: Qxf8+ — queen h6→f8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxf8 (king g8→f8, captures queen).
4. Best move: Bh6+ — bishop e3→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f8→g8).
5. Best move: Re8# — rook e1→e8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Re8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2b2rk1/5pNp/p1p3p1/q2r1p2/8/2P1B2Q/PPB3PP/4R1K1 b - - 0 24

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