Chess Puzzle #30vNp — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen d3; rook c1; bishops a3/e4; pawns a2/e3/e5/f2/g2/h2. Black: king c8; queen a4; rooks d8/h8; knight d7; pawns a5/b6/c7/e6/f7/g7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (6 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxe5 — knight d7→e5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qa6+ — queen d3→a6, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king c8→d7).
3. Best move: Rxc7+ — rook c1→c7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ke8 (king d7→e8).
4. Best move: Re7+ — rook c7→e7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king e8→f8).
5. Best move: Rd7+ — rook e7→d7, gives check. Opponent replies Qxa3 (queen a4→a3, captures bishop).
6. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook d7→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f8→e7).
7. Best move: Rxh8 — rook d8→h8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered attack, discovered check, middlegame, queenside attack, skewer, very long. The key move Rxc7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2kr3r/2pn1pp1/1p2p3/p3P3/q3B3/B2QP3/P4PPP/2R3K1 b - - 3 22

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