Chess Puzzle #3JWSp — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h2; queen e2; rooks g1/g3; knights c5/e3; pawns a3/b2/d4/e5/h3. Black: king h8; queen f4; rooks a8/f7; bishop f5; knight c6; pawns a6/b5/c4/d5/e6/g7/h5. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxd4 — knight c6→d4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxh5+ — queen e2→h5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Bh7 (bishop f5→h7).
3. Best move: Rf1 — rook g1→f1. Opponent replies Qxf1 (queen f4→f1, captures rook).
4. Best move: Nxf1 — knight e3→f1, captures queen.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Qxh5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r6k/5rp1/p1n1p3/1pNpPb1p/2pP1q2/P3N1RP/1P2Q2K/6R1 b - - 1 31

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