Puzzle #18: Mate in 3
Rating ≈ 1600 · 3 moves to find
White to move and mate in 3.
Show a hint
Start with the most forcing moves: checks first.
Show the solution
- 10. Qg6+ — the queen goes to g6 with check.
- 10… Ke7 is the only legal move.
- 11. Nd5+ — the knight goes to d5 with check.
- 11… Ke6 is the only legal move.
- 12. Bh3# — the bishop goes to h3 — checkmate.
Why it works. Every move in the line is forcing, so the defender never gets time to organise a defence.
Themes: Mate in 3
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This position comes from a training game and was checked with a chess engine: every move you need to find is the only one that works.