Chess Puzzle #nxyex — Master, White to move, middlegame

Rating 2412 · Master · mate, mate in 5, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king g3; bishops a2/c3; knights e4/g5; pawns d2/e2/f3/g2. Black: king g8; queen d1; rooks a7/b1; pawns a6/b7/f7/h6. Black is ahead by 7 points of material. White to move.

Solution (7 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Ra1 — rook b1→a1. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Nf6+ — knight e4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
  3. Best move: Bb4+ — bishop c3→b4, gives check. Opponent replies Kg7 (king f8→g7).
  4. Best move: Ne8+ — knight f6→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Kg6 (king g7→g6).
  5. Best move: Bxf7+ — bishop a2→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg5 (king g6→g5, captures knight).
  6. Best move: Be7+ — bishop b4→e7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf5 (king g5→f5).
  7. Best move: e4+ — pawn e2→e4, gives check. Opponent replies Ke5 (king f5→e5).
  8. Best move: Bf6# — bishop e7→f6, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

mate, mate in 5, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Bf6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 6k1/rp3p2/p6p/6N1/4N3/2B2PK1/B2PP1P1/1r1q4 b - - 13 42

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