Chess Puzzle #7DapJ — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen c7; rook f1; bishop e3; pawns a2/e5/f2/h2. Black: king e8; queen f3; rook h8; bishops c8/e7; pawns a3/c4/d5/e6/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 6 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Ba6 — bishop c8→a6. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qc6+ — queen c7→c6, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king e8→f8).
3. Best move: Qa8+ — queen c6→a8, gives check. Opponent replies Bc8 (bishop a6→c8).
4. Best move: Qxc8+ — queen a8→c8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Bd8 (bishop e7→d8).
5. Best move: Qxd8# — queen c8→d8, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

fork, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, very long. The combination ends with Qxd8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 2b1k2r/2Q1bpp1/4p2p/3pP3/2p5/p3Bq2/P4P1P/5RK1 b k - 1 28

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