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

Position

White: king g1; queen g5; rooks f1/h3; bishop e6; knight d5; pawns a4/b2/d3/e4/g2/h2. Black: king h8; queen d8; rooks b8/f8; bishop g7; knight f6; pawns a6/b4/c5/d6/g6/h5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxd5 — knight f6→d5, captures knight. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxh5+ — rook h3→h5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies gxh5 (pawn g6→h5, captures rook).
3. Best move: Qxh5+ — queen g5→h5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Bh6 (bishop g7→h6).
4. Best move: Qxh6# — queen h5→h6, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

exposed king, fork, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, sacrifice. The combination ends with Qxh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1r1q1r1k/6b1/p2pBnp1/2pN2Qp/Pp2P3/3P3R/1P4PP/5RK1 b - - 1 23

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