Chess Puzzle #3akEG — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king d2; queen f7; rooks a1/h1; bishops e2/h6; pawns a2/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen f2; rooks a8/e8; bishop c8; knight c3; pawns a7/b7/d7/f6/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxe2+ — queen f2→e2, captures bishop, gives check. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Kc1 — king d2→c1. Opponent replies Nxa2+ (knight c3→a2, captures pawn, gives check).
3. Best move: Rxa2 — rook a1→a2, captures knight. Opponent replies Qc4+ (queen e2→c4, gives check).
4. Best move: Qxc4 — queen f7→c4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame. The key move is Kc1.

Position data

FEN: r1b1r2k/pp1p1Q1p/5ppB/8/8/2n5/P2KBqPP/R6R b - - 1 23

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