Chess Puzzle #NfT1E — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king e2; queen b3; rook a1; bishop f7; knight c4; pawns b5/e3/f2/g2/h2. Black: king f8; queen c5; rook d8; bishop c8; knights b4/f6; pawns b7/e5/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kxf7 — king f8→f7, captures bishop. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxe5+ — knight c4→e5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f7→e7).
3. Best move: Qf7+ — queen b3→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kd6 (king e7→d6).
4. Best move: Nc4+ — knight e5→c4, gives check. Opponent replies Qxc4+ (queen c5→c4, captures knight, gives check).
5. Best move: Qxc4 — queen f7→c4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, discovered check, double check, middlegame, very long. The key move Nxe5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2br1k2/1p3Bpp/5n2/1Pq1p3/1nN5/1Q2P3/4KPPP/R7 b - - 0 21

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