Chess Puzzle #3OZ8f — Master, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; rook f1; bishops d3/g3; knights e2/g5; pawns a2/b3/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen b6; rooks a8/e8; bishops g7/h5; knight f6; pawns a7/c6/d4/e3/f7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (9 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Bxe2 — bishop h5→e2, captures knight. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Bh7+ — bishop d3→h7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
3. Best move: Bd6+ — bishop g3→d6, gives check. Opponent replies Re7 (rook e8→e7).
4. Best move: Rxf6 — rook f1→f6, captures knight. Opponent replies Bxf6 (bishop g7→f6, captures rook).
5. Best move: Qf5 — queen c2→f5. Opponent replies Kg7 (king f8→g7).
6. Best move: Bxe7 — bishop d6→e7, captures rook. Opponent replies c5 (pawn c6→c5).
7. Best move: Bg8 — bishop h7→g8. Opponent replies Bxe7 (bishop f6→e7, captures bishop).
8. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f5→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh6 (king g7→h6).
9. Best move: Ne6 — knight g5→e6. Opponent replies Rxg8 (rook a8→g8, captures bishop).
10. Best move: Qxg8 — queen f7→g8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

crushing, fork, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, very long. The key move Qxf7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/p4pb1/1qp2n2/6Nb/3p4/1P1Bp1BP/P1Q1N1P1/5RK1 b - - 1 20

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