Chess Puzzle #1Ksao — Master, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king c1; queen f3; rooks d1/h1; knight b1; pawns b3/c2/d4/e3/f4/g5/h4. Black: king g8; queen a5; rooks a8/b2; bishop e7; knight c5; pawns b4/c6/d6/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kxb2 — king c1→b2, captures rook. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qa2+ — queen a5→a2, gives check. Opponent replies Kc1 (king b2→c1).
3. Best move: Qxc2+ — queen a2→c2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxc2 (king c1→c2, captures queen).
4. Best move: Ra2+ — rook a8→a2, gives check. Opponent replies Kc1 (king c2→c1).
5. Best move: Nxb3# — knight c5→b3, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, deflection, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Nxb3# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/4bppp/2ppp3/q1n3P1/1p1P1P1P/1P2PQ2/1rP5/1NKR3R w - - 0 21

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