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

Rating 1477 · Intermediate · advantage, attraction, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long.

Position

White: king g1; queen c4; rooks f1/f7; knight e2; pawns a4/b3/g3/h2. Black: king h7; queen d2; rooks a8/e5; bishop g7; pawns a5/b6/c5/e3/g6/h5. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

  1. Opponent setup: Rd8 — rook a8→d8. Now White to move.
  2. Best move: Rxg7+ — rook f7→g7, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Kxg7 (king h7→g7, captures rook).
  3. Best move: Qf7+ — queen c4→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh6 (king g7→h6).
  4. Best move: Qf4+ — queen f7→f4, gives check. Opponent replies Rg5 (rook e5→g5).
  5. Best move: h4 — pawn h2→h4.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Rxg7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r7/5Rbk/1p4p1/p1p1r2p/P1Q5/1P2p1P1/3qN2P/5RK1 b - - 5 34

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