Chess Puzzle #1Azgi — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks c1/e1; bishop a2; knight c5; pawns a3/b2/c2/d3/f2/g2. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks a8/f8; bishop h3; knight f4; pawns a7/b7/d4/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: gxh3 — pawn g2→h3, captures bishop. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qg5+ — queen d8→g5, gives check. Opponent replies Qg4 (queen d1→g4).
3. Best move: Nxh3+ — knight f4→h3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh2 (king g1→h2).
4. Best move: Qxg4 — queen g5→g4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, fork, intermezzo, long, middlegame, pin. The key move Nxh3+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r2q1rk1/pp3pp1/7p/2N5/3p1n2/P2P3b/BPP2PP1/2RQR1K1 w - - 0 19

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