Chess Puzzle #HZzI3 — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen g4; rook f2; bishops b3/e3; knight g3; pawns a4/b2/c4/c5/f4/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen c6; rook d8; bishops b7/b8; knight h4; pawns a5/b4/f6/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxg2 — knight h4→g2, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nf5 — knight g3→f5. Opponent replies g6 (pawn g7→g6).
3. Best move: Ne7+ — knight f5→e7, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
4. Best move: Nxc6 — knight e7→c6, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, long, middlegame. The key move is Nf5.

Position data

FEN: 1b1r2k1/1b3ppp/2q2p2/p1P5/PpP2PQn/1B2B1NP/1P3RP1/6K1 b - - 8 24

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