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

Position

White: king c1; queen f2; rooks f4/h3; bishop b1; pawns b2/d4/e5/h2. Black: king g8; queen b4; rooks a8/f8; bishops c8/g7; pawns a5/c6/d5/e6/f7/g6. Black is ahead by 5 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Ba6 — bishop c8→a6. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qh4 — queen f2→h4. Opponent replies f5 (pawn f7→f5).
3. Best move: exf6 — pawn e5→f6, captures pawn. Opponent replies Rxf6 (rook f8→f6, captures pawn).
4. Best move: Rxf6 — rook f4→f6, captures rook. Opponent replies Bxf6 (bishop g7→f6, captures rook).
5. Best move: Qxf6 — queen h4→f6, captures bishop.

Tactical themes

en passant, equality, middlegame, quiet move, very long. The key move is Qh4.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/5pb1/2p1p1p1/p2pP3/1q1P1R2/7R/1P3Q1P/1BK5 b - - 1 31

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