Chess Puzzle #PDqO7 — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2417 · Master · Anastasia’s mate, attraction, discovered attack, discovered check, mate, mate in 4.

Position

White: king a1; queen d2; rooks d1/h6; knight g5; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/e5/f2/g2. Black: king g7; queen b6; rooks b8/f8; bishop f5; pawns a4/a7/c6/d6/e7/g6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kxh6 — king g7→h6, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Ne6+ — knight g5→e6, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king h6→h7).
  3. Best move: Qh6+ — queen d2→h6, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh6 (king h7→h6, captures queen).
  4. Best move: Rh1+ — rook d1→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Bh3 (bishop f5→h3).
  5. Best move: Rxh3# — rook h1→h3, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

Anastasia’s mate, attraction, discovered attack, discovered check, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rxh3# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1r3r2/p3p1k1/1qpp2pR/4PbN1/p2P4/2P5/PP1Q1PP1/K2R4 b - - 0 22

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