Chess Puzzle #NXCHe — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen c3; rooks e7/g3; bishops b2/b3; pawns a2/f3/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen f4; rooks a8/f8; bishop f5; knight d3; pawns a7/b7/c6/d5/f6/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 3 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxb2 — knight d3→b2, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rexg7+ — rook e7→g7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king g8→h8).
3. Best move: Rg8+ — rook g7→g8, gives check. Opponent replies Rxg8 (rook f8→g8, captures rook).
4. Best move: Qxf6+ — queen c3→f6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rg7 (rook g8→g7).
5. Best move: Qxg7# — queen f6→g7, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

deflection, fork, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Qxg7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r4rk1/pp2R1pp/2p2p2/3p1b2/5q2/1BQn1PR1/PB4PP/6K1 b - - 4 28

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