Chess Puzzle #HgQN8 — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1650 · Advanced · endgame, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, quiet move.

Position

White: king g1; queen f5; rook c5; bishop f3; pawns a2/b2/d5/e3/f2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen e7; rook f8; pawns a6/b5/d6/e5/f6/f7/h7. White is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: dxc5 — pawn d6→c5, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Be4 — bishop f3→e4. Opponent replies Rd8 (rook f8→d8).
  3. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen f5→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  4. Best move: Qh8# — queen h7→h8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

endgame, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, quiet move. The combination ends with Qh8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/4qp1p/p2p1p2/1pRPpQ2/8/4PBP1/PP3P1P/6K1 b - - 0 22

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