Chess Puzzle #0FAkv — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king e2; queen f7; rooks c7/h1; bishops d2/f1; knights e7/g5; pawns a2/e5/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen b2; rooks a8/f8; bishops b6/c8; knights b8/h6; pawns a7/b7/d7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxf7 — knight h6→f7, captures queen. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxf7+ — knight g5→f7, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures knight).
3. Best move: Rxc8+ — rook c7→c8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Bd8 (bishop b6→d8).
4. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook c8→d8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
5. Best move: Rxf8# — rook d8→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

back rank mate, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, very long. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: rnb2r1k/ppRpNQpp/1b5n/4P1N1/8/8/Pq1BK1PP/5B1R b - - 0 15

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