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

Position

White: king h2; queen c4; rooks e1/f1; pawns b3/d4/d5/f2/g4/h3. Black: king c8; queen d7; rooks b2/h8; bishop g7; knight f4; pawns a6/c7/d6/f7/g5/h4. Black is ahead by 6 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Re8 — rook h8→e8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxa6+ — queen c4→a6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king c8→d8).
3. Best move: Qa8+ — queen a6→a8, gives check. Opponent replies Qc8 (queen d7→c8).
4. Best move: Rxe8+ — rook e1→e8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxe8 (king d8→e8, captures rook).
5. Best move: Qxc8+ — queen a8→c8, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, deflection, middlegame, queenside attack, very long. The key move Qxa6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2k4r/2pq1pb1/p2p4/3P2p1/2QP1nPp/1P5P/1r3P1K/4RR2 b - - 1 28

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