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

Rating 1500 · Intermediate · back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king e1; queen f3; rooks a1/f1; bishop d3; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/d5/e3/e4/g3. Black: king e8; queen h2; rooks a8/h8; bishop c8; knight e7; pawns a6/b7/c7/d7/g6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxb2 — queen h2→b2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qf7+ — queen f3→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
  3. Best move: Qf8+ — queen f7→f8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook h8→f8, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b1k2r/1pppn1pp/p5p1/3P4/4P3/2NBPQP1/PP5q/R3KR2 b Qkq - 1 15

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