Chess Puzzle #J508Q — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1650 · Advanced · fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king f2; queen d2; rooks f5/g6; bishops d5/e5; pawns c2/d3/e4/g2/h3. Black: king h8; queen a1; rooks b6/f8; bishop c7; knight f6; pawns a3/d4/g7/h6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bxe5 — bishop c7→e5, captures bishop. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxh6+ — rook g6→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh6 (pawn g7→h6, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qxh6+ — queen d2→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Nh7 (knight f6→h7).
  4. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f5→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, pin, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5r1k/2b3p1/1r3nRp/3BBR2/3pP3/p2P3P/2PQ1KP1/q7 b - - 0 33

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