Chess Puzzle #NQSTl — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1946 · Advanced · back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king c2; queen h5; rook f1; bishop h3; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/g3/h2. Black: king f7; queen d4; rook e8; knights c4/f6; pawns a7/b7/c6/d6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kg8 — king f7→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxe8+ — queen h5→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Nxe8 (knight f6→e8, captures queen).
  3. Best move: Be6+ — bishop h3→e6, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
  4. Best move: Rf8# — rook f1→f8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 4r3/pp3kpp/2pp1n2/7Q/2nq4/2N3PB/PPK4P/5R2 b - - 7 24

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