Chess Puzzle #0XQce — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king b1; queen b4; rooks d1/h1; knight f3; pawns a2/c3/c4/d2/e4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen b7; rooks c8/f8; pawns a7/b6/d7/e5/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 4 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxe5 — knight f3→e5, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qxe4+ — queen b7→e4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies d3 (pawn d2→d3).
3. Best move: Qxe5 — queen e4→e5, captures knight.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, middlegame, short. The key move Qxe4+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r2rk1/pq1p1ppp/1p6/4p3/1QP1P3/2P2N2/P2P1PPP/1K1R3R w - - 9 21

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