Chess Puzzle #I5GhM — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1788 · Advanced · attraction, endgame, exposed king, long, mate, mate in 3.

Position

White: king h1; queen c4; rook g1; knight h2; pawns a2/b2/c5/f2/g3. Black: king f8; queen h3; rooks e4/g6; bishop c7; pawns a7/b7/c6/f3/h7. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen c4→e4, captures rook. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh2+ — queen h3→h2, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh2 (king h1→h2, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh6+ — rook g6→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Qh4 (queen e4→h4).
  4. Best move: Rxh4# — rook h6→h4, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, endgame, exposed king, long, mate, mate in 3, pin, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxh4# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5k2/ppb4p/2p3r1/2P5/2Q1r3/5pPq/PP3P1N/6RK w - - 0 35

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