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

Position

White: king e1; queen c2; rooks c7/h1; bishop f2; knight e2; pawns a3/b5/d5/e4/f3/h2. Black: king g8; queen h3; rooks a8/f7; bishops c8/g7; pawns a5/b7/d6/f4/f6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxf3 — queen h3→f3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxc8+ — rook c7→c8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Rxc8 (rook a8→c8, captures rook).
3. Best move: Qxc8+ — queen c2→c8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
4. Best move: Qe6+ — queen c8→e6, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame. The key move Rxc8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1b3k1/1pR2rbp/3p1p2/pP1P4/4Pp2/P4P1q/2Q1NB1P/4K2R b K - 2 23

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