Chess Puzzle #3q16K — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen d6; rooks d1/f1; bishop c4; pawns a2/b2/c2/e4/e5/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen b6; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight c5; pawns a7/b7/c6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxe4 — knight c5→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Bxf7+ — bishop c4→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures bishop).
3. Best move: Qd8+ — queen d6→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Qxd8 (queen b6→d8, captures queen).
4. Best move: Rxd8+ — rook d1→d8, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Rf8 (rook f7→f8).
5. Best move: Rfxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rfxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/1qpQ4/2n1P3/2B1P3/7P/PPP3P1/3R1R1K b - - 0 17

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