Chess Puzzle #IN5Au — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1470 · Intermediate · fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short.

Position

White: king a2; queen g2; rooks g1/h3; bishop e2; knight a4; pawns b2/b3/d4/e3/f4/h5/h6. Black: king g8; queen c2; rooks b8/f7; bishop c8; knight d2; pawns a6/d5/e6/f5/g6/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: hxg6 — pawn h5→g6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxb3+ — queen c2→b3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ka1 (king a2→a1).
  3. Best move: Qxa4# — queen b3→a4, captures knight, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

fork, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, short. The combination ends with Qxa4# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1rb3k1/5r1p/p3p1pP/3p1p1P/N2P1P2/1P2P2R/KPqnB1Q1/6R1 w - - 5 29

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