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

Rating 2226 · Expert · long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, pin, queenside attack.

Position

White: king b1; queen d4; rook f7; bishop e2; knight b5; pawns a2/b2/c2/h5. Black: king b8; queen d7; rook d8; bishops g2/g5; pawns a7/c7/d6/g4/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qxf7 — queen d7→f7, captures rook. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Qxa7+ — queen d4→a7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kc8 (king b8→c8).
  3. Best move: Bxg4+ — bishop e2→g4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rd7 (rook d8→d7).
  4. Best move: Qxc7# — queen a7→c7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, pin, queenside attack. The combination ends with Qxc7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r4/p1pq1R2/3p3p/1N4bP/3Q2p1/8/PPP1B1b1/1K6 b - - 2 27

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

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