Chess Puzzle #Iw3QF — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1672 · Advanced · attraction, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen c6; rooks c1/f1; bishop d2; knight c3; pawns a2/b3/d4/e3/e4/g2. Black: king g7; queen d8; rooks a8/h8; knights a3/f6; pawns d5/f7/g3/g6. White is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nxd5 — knight c3→d5, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rh1+ — rook h8→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh1 (king g1→h1, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qh8+ — queen d8→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kg1 (king h1→g1).
  4. Best move: Qh2# — queen h8→h2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qh2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r2q3r/5pk1/2Q2np1/3p4/3PP3/nPN1P1p1/P2B2P1/2R2RK1 w - - 0 25

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