Chess Puzzle #6OmR9 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king d2; queen a4; rook a3; bishops c1/f1; knights e4/g1; pawns a5/d4/g3/h2. Black: king e8; queen b8; rooks a8/e6; bishops f8/h1; knight c6; pawns a7/d5/e7/f7/g5/h5. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxe4 — rook e6→e4, captures knight. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxc6+ — queen a4→c6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
3. Best move: Qxd5+ — queen c6→d5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qd6 (queen b8→d6).
4. Best move: Qxa8+ — queen d5→a8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

crushing, deflection, hanging piece, long, middlegame. The key move Qxc6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: rq2kb2/p3pp2/2n1r3/P2p2pp/Q2PN3/R5P1/3K3P/2B2BNb b q - 0 19

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