Chess Puzzle #9BF2t — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen a5; rooks a1/e1; knight g5; pawns a3/b4/c3/d4/f2/f4/g3/h2. Black: king e8; queen f6; rooks a8/h6; bishop f5; knight b8; pawns a6/b7/c6/d5/e6/f7/g6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qd8 — queen f6→d8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxd8+ — queen a5→d8, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Kxd8 (king e8→d8, captures queen).
3. Best move: Nxf7+ — knight g5→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king d8→e7).
4. Best move: Nxh6 — knight f7→h6, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Qxd8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: rn2k3/1p3p2/p1p1pqpr/Q2p1bN1/1P1P1P2/P1P3P1/5P1P/R3R1K1 b q - 1 18

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