Chess Puzzle #LqJiU — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2013 · Expert · collinear, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king c1; queen f3; rooks h1/h5; knight g3; pawns a3/c3/d5/e4/f2. Black: king h8; queen c4; rooks f7/g8; knight e7; pawns a7/b7/c7/d6/f4/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: fxg3 — pawn f4→g3, captures knight. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qf6+ — queen f3→f6, gives check. Opponent replies Rgg7 (rook g8→g7).
  3. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h5→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h8→g8).
  4. Best move: Rh8# — rook h7→h8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

collinear, kingside attack, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Rh8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 6rk/ppp1nr1p/3p4/3P3R/2q1Pp2/P1P2QN1/5P2/2K4R b - - 0 25

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