Chess Puzzle #8ZSM0 — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king e1; queen b3; rooks d1/h1; bishop a5; knight g1; pawns a2/b2/e2/f2/g3/h2. Black: king g8; queen d4; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knight b6; pawns a7/b7/e4/e6/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qc5 — queen d4→c5. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Bb4 — bishop a5→b4. Opponent replies Qb5 (queen c5→b5).
3. Best move: Bxf8 — bishop b4→f8, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxb3 (queen b5→b3, captures queen).
4. Best move: axb3 — pawn a2→b3, captures queen.

Tactical themes

equality, long, middlegame, skewer. The key move is Bb4.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/pp3ppp/1n2p3/B7/3qp3/1Q4P1/PP2PP1P/3RK1NR b K - 1 14

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