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

Position

White: king g1; queen d2; rooks c8/f1; knights b3/e5; pawns a2/b2/d4/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen b6; rook f8; bishop d5; knight e4; pawns a7/b7/e6/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxd2 — knight e4→d2, captures queen. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxf8+ — rook c8→f8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxf8 (king g8→f8, captures rook).
3. Best move: Nd7+ — knight e5→d7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f8→e7).
4. Best move: Nxb6 — knight d7→b6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, long, middlegame. The key move Rxf8+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2R2rk1/pp3ppp/1q2p3/3bN3/3Pn3/1N6/PP1Q1PPP/5RK1 b - - 0 17

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