Chess Puzzle #C2xpO — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h2; queen d4; rook g3; bishop c1; knight d7; pawns a2/b2/c4/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen h5; rooks a8/h8; bishops b4/f5; knight f6; pawns a7/b7/c6/e6/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 8 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kh7 — king g8→h7. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight d7→f6, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
3. Best move: Qd7+ — queen d4→d7, gives check. Opponent replies Be7 (bishop b4→e7).
4. Best move: Qxe7+ — queen d7→e7, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Qf7 (queen h5→f7).
5. Best move: Qxf7# — queen e7→f7, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

clearance, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, very long. The combination ends with Qxf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r5kr/pp1N2p1/2p1pn1p/5b1q/1bPQ4/6RP/PP3PPK/2B5 b - - 3 26

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