Chess Puzzle #HP7Lq — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1625 · Advanced · clearance, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king e1; queen c2; rooks a1/h1; bishop f1; knight e4; pawns a2/b2/c5/f2/g2/g5. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight c6; pawns a6/b7/d4/e5/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: hxg5 — pawn h6→g5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf6+ — knight e4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qh7# — queen c2→h7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

clearance, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qh7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/1p2qpp1/p1n4p/2P1p1P1/3pN3/8/PPQ2PP1/R3KB1R b KQ - 0 21

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