Chess Puzzle #4H24X — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g2; queen e5; rook c1; bishop f3; knight c6; pawns a2/b3/e4/f2/g5/h3. Black: king g7; queen d7; rooks c8/e8; knight e7; pawns a7/f7/g6/h5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kg8 — king g7→g8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxe7+ — knight c6→e7, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Qxe7 (queen d7→e7, captures knight).
3. Best move: Qxe7 — queen e5→e7, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxe7 (rook e8→e7, captures queen).
4. Best move: Rxc8+ — rook c1→c8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, fork, long, master, middlegame. The key move Nxe7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r1r3/p2qnpk1/2N3p1/4Q1Pp/4P3/1P3B1P/P4PK1/2R5 b - - 2 31

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