Chess Puzzle #6045Z — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen c2; rook c5; bishop b1; knight a5; pawns a2/b2/e3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen e5; rook d8; bishop b7; knight f4; pawns a7/b5/e6/f7/g7/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxc5 — queen e5→c5, captures rook. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxh7+ — queen c2→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
3. Best move: Qh8+ — queen h7→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f8→e7).
4. Best move: Qxd8+ — queen h8→d8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxd8 (king e7→d8, captures queen).
5. Best move: Nxb7+ — knight a5→b7, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Kc7 (king d8→c7).
6. Best move: Nxc5 — knight b7→c5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, master, middlegame, very long. The key move Qxh7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3r2k1/pb3ppp/4p3/NpR1q3/5n2/4P3/PPQ2PPP/1B4K1 b - - 1 21

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