Chess Puzzle #8MZZQ — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g3; queen c3; rooks c1/g1; bishop b2; knight e2; pawns a2/b3/c4/e3/f4/h4. Black: king g7; queen a8; rooks c8/e8; bishop b1; knights f3/f6; pawns a6/b6/d6/e6/f7/g4/h6. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxg1 — knight f3→g1, captures rook. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxf6+ — queen c3→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g7→f8).
3. Best move: Qg7+ — queen f6→g7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f8→e7).
4. Best move: Bf6+ — bishop b2→f6, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king e7→d7).
5. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen g7→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kc6 (king d7→c6).
6. Best move: Nd4+ — knight e2→d4, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, middlegame, very long. The key move Qxf6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: q1r1r3/5pk1/pp1ppn1p/8/2P2PpP/1PQ1PnK1/PB2N3/1bR3R1 b - - 2 30

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