Chess Puzzle #1MGuU — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king b1; queen f3; rooks d3/h1; bishops b3/e3; pawns b2/c4/d4/f2/g5/h3. Black: king e8; queen c6; rooks a8/h8; bishop e7; knight a4; pawns a5/b7/d5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: dxc4 — pawn d5→c4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxc6+ — queen f3→c6, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies bxc6 (pawn b7→c6, captures queen).
3. Best move: Bxa4 — bishop b3→a4, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, middlegame, pin, short. The key move Qxc6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/1p2bppp/2q1p3/p2p2P1/n1PP4/1B1RBQ1P/1P3P2/1K5R b kq - 0 18

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