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

Position

White: king h2; queen g5; rook h3; knights e5/e7; pawns d4/f4/g2. Black: king h8; queen c1; rook f8; bishops e6/g7; pawns a2/c4/d5/f5/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: a1=Q — pawn a2→a1, promotes to queen. Now White to move.
2. Best move: N5g6+ — knight e5→g6, gives check. Opponent replies fxg6 (pawn f7→g6, captures knight).
3. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h3→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures rook).
4. Best move: Qxg6+ — queen g5→g6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
5. Best move: Qh5+ — queen g6→h5, gives check. Opponent replies Bh6 (bishop g7→h6).
6. Best move: Qxh6# — queen h5→h6, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, fork, mate, mate in 5, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Qxh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 5r1k/4Npbp/4b3/3pNpQ1/2pP1P2/7R/p5PK/2q5 b - - 1 38

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