Chess Puzzle #4Bugf — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king a1; queen e5; rooks d2/h1; pawns a3/b2/c3/d4/f4/g5/h4. Black: king g8; queen c4; rooks a6/c6; pawns a7/b7/d5/e6/f7/g7/h6. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: gxh6 — pawn g5→h6, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Rxa3+ — rook a6→a3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies bxa3 (pawn b2→a3, captures rook).
3. Best move: Qxc3+ — queen c4→c3, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ka2 (king a1→a2).
4. Best move: Qxd2+ — queen c3→d2, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, deflection, endgame, fork, long, sacrifice. The key move Rxa3+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 6k1/pp3pp1/r1r1p2p/3pQ1P1/2qP1P1P/P1P5/1P1R4/K6R w - - 1 26

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