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

Position

White: king g1; queen h6; rook c1; knight e5; pawns a2/b3/d4/f2/f6/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen b6; rooks a8/g8; bishop c6; pawns a6/b5/d5/e6/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Be8 — bishop c6→e8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rc3 — rook c1→c3. Opponent replies Qxd4 (queen b6→d4, captures pawn).
3. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen h6→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures queen).
4. Best move: Rh3+ — rook c3→h3, gives check. Opponent replies Qh4 (queen d4→h4).
5. Best move: Rxh4# — rook h3→h4, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, quiet move, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rxh4# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5rk/5p1p/pqb1pP1Q/1p1pN3/3P4/1P6/P4PPP/2R3K1 b - - 1 23

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