Chess Puzzle #4jbQa — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen h3; rooks f1/h5; knight e4; pawns a2/b2/c2/d3/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen c6; rooks d5/f8; knight e5; pawns a6/b5/c5/d4/f6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: h6 — pawn h7→h6. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxh6+ — rook h5→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh6 (pawn g7→h6, captures rook).
3. Best move: Qxh6+ — queen h3→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h8→g8).
4. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight e4→f6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf6 (rook f8→f6, captures knight).
5. Best move: Rxf6 — rook f1→f6, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxf6 (queen c6→f6, captures rook).
6. Best move: Qxf6 — queen h6→f6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Rxh6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 5r1k/6pp/p1q2p2/1pprn2R/3pN3/3P3Q/PPP3PP/5RK1 b - - 11 25

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