Chess Puzzle #PmTLu — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen f3; rooks c1/c7; knight a4; pawns a2/b3/e5/f2/g2/h4. Black: king e8; queen b4; rooks d8/g4; bishop e7; pawns a7/d5/e6/f7/g7/h5. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qe4 — queen b4→e4. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxe7+ — rook c7→e7, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Kxe7 (king e8→e7, captures rook).
3. Best move: Rc7+ — rook c1→c7, gives check. Opponent replies Rd7 (rook d8→d7).
4. Best move: Rxd7+ — rook c7→d7, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kxd7 (king e7→d7, captures rook).
5. Best move: Nc5+ — knight a4→c5, gives check. Opponent replies Ke7 (king d7→e7).
6. Best move: Nxe4 — knight c5→e4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

attraction, crushing, fork, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The key move Rxe7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 3rk3/p1R1bpp1/4p3/3pP2p/Nq4rP/1P3Q2/P4PP1/2R3K1 b - - 3 21

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