Chess Puzzle #Jq8MA — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king a1; queen h5; rooks c1/f1; bishop f7; pawns a4/b3/c3/d4. Black: king h8; queen a6; rooks c8/e2; knight b6; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxa4 — knight b6→a4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h5→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
3. Best move: Rh1+ — rook f1→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Rh2 (rook e2→h2).
4. Best move: Rxh2# — rook h1→h2, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxh2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2r4k/pp3Bpp/qnp5/3p3Q/P2P4/1PP5/4r3/K1R2R2 b - - 0 28

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