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

Rating 1509 · Intermediate · kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen f2; rooks d4/f1; bishop e2; pawns a2/c2/c4/e3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen a3; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; pawns a7/c6/c7/e4/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxa2 — queen a3→a2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f2→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d4→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
  4. Best move: Rfxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rfxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/p1p2ppp/2p5/8/2PRp3/q3P3/P1P1BQPP/5RK1 b - - 4 17

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