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

Position

White: king h1; queen g2; rooks a1/g1; knight g4; pawns a2/c4/e3/e4/f6/h3. Black: king g8; queen e7; rooks a7/a8; bishop h7; pawns b3/c5/c7/d6/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxe4 — queen e7→e4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxh6+ — knight g4→h6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
3. Best move: fxg7+ — pawn f6→g7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king f8→e7).
4. Best move: g8=Q — pawn g7→g8, promotes to queen. Opponent replies Rxg8 (rook a8→g8, captures queen).
5. Best move: Nxg8+ — knight h6→g8, captures rook, gives check.

Tactical themes

advanced pawn, advantage, kingside attack, middlegame, pin, promotion, very long. The key move Nxh6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r5k1/r1p1qppb/3p1P1p/2p5/2P1P1N1/1p2P2P/P5Q1/R5RK b - - 0 27

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