Chess Puzzle #RDk9r — Advanced, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen f3; rooks d1/f1; bishops e4/h6; pawns a2/c2/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen b2; rooks a8/f8; bishops c8/e5; pawns a7/b7/c6/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Bg7 — bishop e5→g7. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxf7+ — queen f3→f7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf7 (rook f8→f7, captures queen).
3. Best move: Rd8+ — rook d1→d8, gives check. Opponent replies Bf8 (bishop g7→f8).
4. Best move: Rxf8+ — rook d8→f8, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies Rxf8 (rook f7→f8, captures rook).
5. Best move: Rxf8# — rook f1→f8, captures rook, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long, X-ray attack. The combination ends with Rxf8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r1b2rk1/pp3p1p/2p3pB/4b3/4B3/5Q2/PqP3PP/3R1R1K b - - 1 18

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