Chess Puzzle #1VzhQ — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g2; queen f3; rooks f1/g5; pawns a3/b2/d5/e4/e6/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen d4; rooks c8/d8; bishop g7; knight e7; pawns a7/b7/f5. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen d4→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxe4 — queen f3→e4, captures queen. Opponent replies fxe4 (pawn f5→e4, captures queen).
3. Best move: Rf7 — rook f1→f7.

Tactical themes

advantage, clearance, middlegame, pin, short. The key move Qxe4 wins material.

Position data

FEN: 2rr2k1/pp2n1b1/4P3/3P1pR1/3qP2P/P4QP1/1P4K1/5R2 b - - 2 31

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