Chess Puzzle #CAZvJ — Master, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen a3; rooks c1/e1; pawns c7/d5/e4/f2/g3. Black: king c8; queen h3; rooks e7/g8; knight e5; pawns b7/d6/f7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (8 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxc7 — rook e7→c7, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qa8+ — queen a3→a8, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king c8→d7).
3. Best move: Rxc7+ — rook c1→c7, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxc7 (king d7→c7, captures rook).
4. Best move: Rc1+ — rook e1→c1, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king c7→d7).
5. Best move: Qxb7+ — queen a8→b7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king d7→d8).
6. Best move: Qc7+ — queen b7→c7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke8 (king d8→e8).
7. Best move: Qc8+ — queen c7→c8, gives check. Opponent replies Qxc8 (queen h3→c8, captures queen).
8. Best move: Rxc8+ — rook c1→c8, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king e8→e7).
9. Best move: Rxg8 — rook c8→g8, captures rook.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, deflection, middlegame, skewer, very long. The key move Rxc7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2k3r1/1pP1rp2/3p3p/3Pn3/4P3/Q5Pq/5P2/2R1R1K1 b - - 2 33

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