Chess Puzzle #WpXgu — Advanced, White to move, opening

Rating 1996 · Advanced · attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 5, opening, sacrifice.

Position

White: king e1; queen d1; rooks a1/h1; bishop c1; knight d2; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/e5/f2/g2/g5. Black: king h7; queen d8; rooks a8/f8; bishops c8/e7; knights c6/e8; pawns a7/b7/c5/d5/e6/g7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (6 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kg8 — king h7→g8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rh8+ — rook h1→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh8 (king g8→h8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qh5+ — queen d1→h5, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h8→g8).
  4. Best move: g6 — pawn g5→g6. Opponent replies Nf6 (knight e8→f6).
  5. Best move: exf6 — pawn e5→f6, captures knight. Opponent replies Rxf6 (rook f8→f6, captures pawn).
  6. Best move: Qh7+ — queen h5→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  7. Best move: Qh8# — queen h7→h8, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 5, opening, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Qh8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1bqnr2/pp2b1pk/2n1p3/2ppP1P1/3P4/2P5/PP1N1PP1/R1BQK2R b KQ - 0 12

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