Chess Puzzle #F000b — Intermediate, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen e4; rook d1; bishop f3; knight f6; pawns a2/b2/e2/f2/g3/h2. Black: king f8; queen d7; rooks a8/h8; bishops f1/g7; pawns a7/b7/c6/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxd1 — queen d7→d1, captures rook. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qb4+ — queen e4→b4, gives check. Opponent replies c5 (pawn c6→c5).
3. Best move: Qxc5+ — queen b4→c5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qd6 (queen d1→d6).
4. Best move: Qxd6# — queen c5→d6, captures queen, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame. The combination ends with Qxd6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4k1r/pp1q1pbp/2p2Np1/8/4Q3/5BP1/PP2PP1P/3R1bK1 b - - 1 19

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