Chess Puzzle #lsNxZ — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2313 · Expert · clearance, deflection, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king g1; queen g5; rooks e1/e6; bishop f5; pawns a2/b2/c3/d4/f2/f3/h2. Black: king f7; queen c7; rooks a8/h8; knights e7/f6; pawns a7/d5/g7/h5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rae8 — rook a8→e8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf6+ — rook e6→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Be6+ — bishop f5→e6, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king f7→f8).
  4. Best move: Qxf6# — queen g5→f6, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

clearance, deflection, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qxf6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r6r/p1q1nkp1/4Rn2/3p1BQp/3P4/2P2P2/PP3P1P/4R1K1 b - - 6 23

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