Chess Puzzle #2SM37 — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king c1; queen e4; rooks d1/h1; bishops d3/d4; pawns a2/b3/c2/e5/f5/g4/h2. Black: king g8; queen a5; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight b4; pawns a3/c6/c7/f7/g6/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: fxg6 — pawn f5→g6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Nxa2+ — knight b4→a2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kb1 (king c1→b1).
3. Best move: Nc3+ — knight a2→c3, gives check. Opponent replies Ka1 (king b1→a1).
4. Best move: Nxe4 — knight c3→e4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Nxa2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/2p2p1p/2p3p1/q3PP2/1n1BQ1P1/pP1B4/P1P4P/2KR3R w - - 1 22

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