Chess Puzzle #FaO2n — Master, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen d3; rooks a1/f1; knight g4; pawns a2/b2/f4/g2/h2. Black: king f7; queen c5; rooks a8/h8; bishop c8; knight b5; pawns a6/c2/d7/e6/g5/g7. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (7 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Bb7 — bishop c8→b7. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxd7+ — queen d3→d7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king f7→g8).
3. Best move: Qxe6+ — queen d7→e6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g8→h7).
4. Best move: Nf6+ — knight g4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
5. Best move: Qf7+ — queen e6→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh6 (king h7→h6).
6. Best move: fxg5+ — pawn f4→g5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qxg5 (queen c5→g5, captures pawn).
7. Best move: Rxf6+ — rook f1→f6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Qxf6 (queen g5→f6, captures rook).
8. Best move: Qxf6+ — queen f7→f6, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, deflection, discovered attack, fork, middlegame, very long. The key move Qxd7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r1b4r/3p1kp1/p3p3/1nq3p1/5PN1/3Q4/PPp3PP/R4R1K b - - 2 21

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