Chess Puzzle #M4O1c — Master, Black to move, middlegame

Position

White: king b1; queen d2; rooks d1/f2; bishop g2; knights c5/g5; pawns a2/b3/d3/e2/g3/h2. Black: king e8; queen d6; rooks a3/h8; bishop d5; knights b6/c6; pawns b7/c7/d4/e5/g7/h7. Material is balanced. Black to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxb7 — knight c5→b7, captures pawn. Now Black to move.
2. Best move: Qb4 — queen d6→b4. Opponent replies Qxb4 (queen d2→b4, captures queen).
3. Best move: Nxb4 — knight c6→b4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

equality, middlegame, short. The key move is Qb4.

Position data

FEN: 4k2r/1pp3pp/1nnq4/2Nbp1N1/3p4/rP1P2P1/P2QPRBP/1K1R4 w k - 2 20

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