Chess Puzzle #p2EnP — Expert, Black to move, middlegame

Rating 2257 · Expert · long, master, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice.

Position

White: king g2; queen d2; rook e6; knight g5; pawns a4/b2/c3/d4/f4/g3. Black: king g8; queen h6; rook f8; knights g4/g6; pawns a6/b6. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Qd3 — queen d2→d3. Now Black to move.
  2. Best move: Nxf4+ — knight g6→f4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxf4 (pawn g3→f4, captures knight).
  3. Best move: Qh2+ — queen h6→h2, gives check. Opponent replies Kf1 (king g2→f1).
  4. Best move: Qf2# — queen h2→f2, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, master, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qf2# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/8/pp2R1nq/6N1/P2P1Pn1/2P3P1/1P1Q2K1/8 w - - 1 30

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