Chess Puzzle #5kAMe — Advanced, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king b1; queen a3; rooks d1/h1; knight f7; pawns a2/b2/c2/f3/g2/h4. Black: king c7; queen c6; rooks a8/h8; knight d4; pawns a7/b6/d7/e5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxh8 — knight f7→h8, captures rook. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qxc2+ — queen c6→c2, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ka1 (king b1→a1).
3. Best move: Qxd1+ — queen c2→d1, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Rxd1 (rook h1→d1, captures queen).
4. Best move: Nc2+ — knight d4→c2, gives check. Opponent replies Kb1 (king a1→b1).
5. Best move: Nxa3+ — knight c2→a3, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Qxc2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r6r/p1kp1Npp/1pq5/4p3/3n3P/Q4P2/PPP3P1/1K1R3R w - - 1 20

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