Chess Puzzle #mlXrU — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Rating 1803 · Advanced · attraction, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame.

Position

White: king d2; queen g2; rooks a1/g8; knight e6; pawns a5/b2/c4/d5/f2. Black: king e8; queen d7; rooks a8/h6; bishop f8; knights e5/f6; pawns a7/b7/c7/d6/e7. Black is ahead by 6 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Kf7 — king e8→f7. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxf8+ — rook g8→f8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook a8→f8, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qg7+ — queen g2→g7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke8 (king f7→e8).
  4. Best move: Qxf8# — queen g7→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3kbR1/pppqp3/3pNn1r/P2Pn3/2P5/8/1P1K1PQ1/R7 b - - 3 25

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