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

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks c3/h3; knight e5; pawns a2/b2/f4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks c8/f8; bishop b7; pawns a7/b6/e4/e6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qe7 — queen c7→e7. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxh7 — rook h3→h7, captures pawn. Opponent replies Rxc3 (rook c8→c3, captures rook).
3. Best move: Rh8+ — rook h7→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh8 (king g8→h8, captures rook).
4. Best move: Ng6+ — knight e5→g6, gives check. Opponent replies Kg8 (king h8→g8).
5. Best move: Nxe7+ — knight g6→e7, captures queen, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Nxe7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r2rk1/pbq3pp/1p2p3/4N3/4pP2/2R4R/PP4PP/3Q2K1 b - - 0 22

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