Chess Puzzle #ZmeJ4 — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 1806 · Advanced · exposed king, fork, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, very long.

Position

White: king b1; queen f5; rooks b3/h1; knight c1; pawns f3/g4/h3. Black: king g8; queen a5; rooks d2/f8; bishop e3; pawns a7/e5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rxe3 — rook b3→e3, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Rb8+ — rook f8→b8, gives check. Opponent replies Rb3 (rook e3→b3).
  3. Best move: Rxb3+ — rook b8→b3, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Nxb3 (knight c1→b3, captures rook).
  4. Best move: Qa2+ — queen a5→a2, gives check. Opponent replies Kc1 (king b1→c1).
  5. Best move: Qb2# — queen a2→b2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

exposed king, fork, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, very long. The combination ends with Qb2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/p4ppp/8/q3pQ2/6P1/1R2bP1P/3r4/1KN4R w - - 2 32

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