Chess Puzzle #MH22c — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1480 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g1; queen h6; rooks b1/f3; bishops e1/g2; pawns a3/b4/f4/f6/g5/h2. Black: king h8; queen c7; rooks d8/g8; bishop b7; knight c6; pawns a6/b5/d3/e6/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Nd4 — knight c6→d4. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h6→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Rh3# — rook f3→h3, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Rh3# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3r2rk/1bq2p1p/p1n1pPpQ/1p4P1/1P3P2/P2p1R2/6BP/1R2B1K1 b - - 1 29

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.

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