Chess Puzzle #JU8A3 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1550 · Intermediate · long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice.

Position

White: king b1; queen f6; rooks d1/h1; bishop e5; knight d5; pawns a2/b2/e4/h3. Black: king h7; queen h5; rooks c2/c8; bishops e6/h6; pawns a7/b7/f7/g6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Ne7 — knight d5→e7. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Qxd1+ — queen h5→d1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd1 (rook h1→d1, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rc1+ — rook c2→c1, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc1 (rook d1→c1, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Rxc1# — rook c8→c1, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, queenside attack, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxc1# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r5/pp3p1k/4bQpb/3NB2q/4P3/7P/PPr5/1K1R3R w - - 0 26

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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