Chess Puzzle #2Xr7M — Master, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h3; queen h5; rook e1; bishop d4; knight e5; pawns b4/c3/g3/g5. Black: king g8; queen d6; rooks a2/a8; bishop g7; pawns b5/c4/d5/f5/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rf8 — rook a8→f8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: g6 — pawn g5→g6. Opponent replies hxg6 (pawn h7→g6, captures pawn).
3. Best move: Nxg6 — knight e5→g6, captures pawn. Opponent replies Bxd4 (bishop g7→d4, captures bishop).
4. Best move: cxd4 — pawn c3→d4, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, master, middlegame. The key move is g6.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/6bp/3q4/1p1pNpPQ/1PpB4/2P3PK/r7/4R3 b - - 1 43

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