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

Position

White: king h1; queen g3; rooks b1/f1; bishop a3; pawns a2/b4/f4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen a6; rooks b8/d8; bishop g7; pawns a4/e6/f7/g6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rd3 — rook d8→d3. Now White to move.
2. Best move: b5 — pawn b4→b5. Opponent replies Rxg3 (rook d3→g3, captures queen).
3. Best move: bxa6 — pawn b5→a6, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxb1 (rook b8→b1, captures rook).
4. Best move: Rxb1 — rook f1→b1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

crushing, long, middlegame. The key move is b5.

Position data

FEN: 1r1r2k1/5pbp/q3p1p1/8/pP3P2/B5Q1/P5PP/1R3R1K b - - 0 25

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