Chess Puzzle #JEH8h — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1425 · Intermediate · endgame, intermezzo, mate, mate in 2, short.

Position

White: king g2; queen h6; rook e6; knight g5; pawns a3/b4/f4/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen d3; rook e7; bishop e8; pawns a7/b7/d5/g6/h5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxe6 — rook e7→e6, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qh7+ — queen h6→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  3. Best move: Nxe6# — knight g5→e6, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

endgame, intermezzo, mate, mate in 2, short. The combination ends with Nxe6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 4b1k1/pp2r3/4R1pQ/3p2Np/1P3P1P/P2q2P1/6K1/8 b - - 8 37

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