Chess Puzzle #6Lqnz — Intermediate, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g2; queen g3; rooks d1/d3; bishop e2; knight c3; pawns a2/b2/d6/h2/h3. Black: king h8; queen e6; rook d8; bishop b6; knights e4/g6; pawns a7/c6/e3/g7/h7. White is ahead by 2 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxe4 — knight c3→e4, captures knight. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qxe4+ — queen e6→e4, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kg1 (king g2→g1).
3. Best move: Nf4 — knight g6→f4. Opponent replies Qxf4 (queen g3→f4, captures knight).
4. Best move: Qxf4 — queen e4→f4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

crushing, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Qxe4+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3r3k/p5pp/1bpPq1n1/8/4n3/2NRp1QP/PP2B1KP/3R4 w - - 5 30

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