Chess Puzzle #95gRS — Expert, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king c1; queen b3; rooks d1/h1; bishop b4; knights b1/h3; pawns b2/c2/e4/f3/g2/h4. Black: king h8; queen a1; rooks a6/a8; knights c4/e7; pawns c6/d5/f5/g7/h7. White is ahead by 4 points of material. Black to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: c3 — pawn c2→c3. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Ra2 — rook a6→a2. Opponent replies Rd2 (rook d1→d2).
3. Best move: Nxd2 — knight c4→d2, captures rook. Opponent replies Kxd2 (king c1→d2, captures knight).
4. Best move: Rxb2+ — rook a2→b2, captures pawn, gives check.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, long, master, middlegame, pin, queenside attack. The key move Rxb2+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r6k/4n1pp/r1p5/3p1p2/1Bn1P2P/1Q3P1N/1PP3P1/qNKR3R w - - 1 22

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