Chess Puzzle #5xXWu — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king c1; queen d4; rook d1; bishop e2; knights b3/g4; pawns a2/b2/c3/c5/f2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks a8/e8; bishop h1; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/d5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxe2 — rook e8→e2, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight g4→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
3. Best move: Qg4+ — queen d4→g4, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
4. Best move: Qxe2 — queen g4→e2, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, clearance, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Nxf6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/ppq2ppp/5n2/2Pp4/3Q2N1/1NP3P1/PP2BP1P/2KR3b b - - 1 16

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