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

Position

White: king f2; queen d4; rooks a1/e1; bishop g2; pawns a2/b3/f4/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen g4; rooks f5/f8; bishop c6; pawns a7/b7/d5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Re5 — rook e1→e5. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Rxf4+ — rook f5→f4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxf4 (pawn g3→f4, captures rook).
3. Best move: Rxf4+ — rook f8→f4, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf4 (queen d4→f4, captures rook).
4. Best move: Qxf4+ — queen g4→f4, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, fork, long, middlegame, sacrifice. The key move Rxf4+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 5rk1/pp4pp/2b5/3p1r2/3Q1PqP/1P4P1/P4KB1/R3R3 w - - 6 25

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