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

Rating 1424 · Intermediate · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin.

Position

White: king f1; queen g6; rooks e1/h7; knight g5; pawns a4/b4/c4/f2/g2/g3. Black: king g8; queen e5; rooks a8/f8; bishop g7; knight e8; pawns a6/b7/c7/d4/e7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qf6 — queen e5→f6. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rh8+ — rook h7→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh8 (king g8→h8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qh7# — queen g6→h7, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 2, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, short. The combination ends with Qh7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3nrk1/1pp1p1bR/p5Q1/4q1N1/PPPp4/6P1/5PP1/4RK2 b - - 6 23

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