Chess Puzzle #BSd97 — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks a1/e1; bishop d4; knight h6; pawns a2/c2/c3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king g7; queen c7; rooks a8/f8; bishop c8; knights b8/f6; pawns a7/b7/c6/d6/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: c5 — pawn c6→c5. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Re8 — rook e1→e8. Opponent replies cxd4 (pawn c5→d4, captures bishop).
3. Best move: Rxf8 — rook e8→f8, captures rook. Opponent replies Bf5 (bishop c8→f5).
4. Best move: Rf7+ — rook f8→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf7 (queen c7→f7, captures rook).
5. Best move: Nxf7 — knight h6→f7, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, middlegame, pin, very long. The key move is Re8.

Position data

FEN: rnb2r2/ppq3kp/2pp1npN/8/3B4/2P2Q2/P1P2PPP/R3R1K1 b - - 9 17

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