Chess Puzzle #LH1xT — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1491 · Intermediate · kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king b1; queen f3; rooks d1/f1; bishop g2; knight e2; pawns a2/b2/c2/e4/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen c6; rooks a8/f8; bishops c8/g5; knight c4; pawns a4/b4/e5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Bh6 — bishop g5→h6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f3→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d1→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Qe8 (queen c6→e8).
  4. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook d8→e8, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
  5. Best move: Rfxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rfxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/5ppp/2q5/4p1b1/ppn1P2P/5QP1/PPP1N1B1/1K1R1R2 b - - 0 21

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