Chess Puzzle #fjL66 — Expert, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king f4; queen d3; rooks a1/e4; bishop f3; knight f2; pawns a2/b3/c4/d5/f6/g5/h4. Black: king g8; queen b8; rooks a8/e5; bishop f8; knight d4; pawns a6/b6/c5/f7/g6/h5. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxe5 — rook e4→e5, captures rook. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qxe5+ — queen b8→e5, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxe5 (king f4→e5, captures queen).
3. Best move: Re8+ — rook a8→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Kf4 (king e5→f4).
4. Best move: Bd6# — bishop f8→d6, delivers checkmate.

Why this works

Black's mating attack exploits the White king's exposed position on f4. The combination begins with 1...Qxe5+, a rook sacrifice that lures the king to e5—the worst possible square. After 2.Kxe5 (forced), Black plays 2...Re8+, checking the king again and driving it back to f4. The third move, 3...Bd6#, is checkmate: the bishop on d6 controls e5 (the king's only escape square after the rook's check), while the rook on e8 delivers mate on e4. White's own pawns on f6 and g5 block the king's retreat, and no piece can interpose on e4 or capture the bishop. The king is trapped by its own pawn shield.

What to practice

Recognize attraction sacrifices where you force the enemy king into a net by giving up material with check. The key pattern here: after your piece is captured, the king lands on a square where your remaining pieces (rook, bishop) converge with tempo. Train yourself to spot when the opponent's king is advanced and exposed to a series of checks that progressively restrict escape squares. The rook on e8 and bishop on d6 are coordinated attackers; the pawn on f6 acts as a silent accomplice, sealing off f5.

Tactical themes

attraction, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Bd6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rq3bk1/5p2/pp3Pp1/2pPr1Pp/2PnRK1P/1P1Q1B2/P4N2/R7 w - - 0 30

Solve this puzzle interactively on Brilliant Knight — free tactics training powered by Stockfish 18, no signup required.