Chess Puzzle #Tsxvn — Master, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen f2; rooks a1/f6; knight h4; pawns a3/c4/e4/g2/h2. Black: king g8; queen c7; rooks a7/e8; bishops a5/c8; pawns c5/e5/f7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (8 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Re6 — rook e8→e6. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qg3+ — queen f2→g3, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
3. Best move: Nf5 — knight h4→f5. Opponent replies Rxf6 (rook e6→f6, captures rook).
4. Best move: Qg7+ — queen g3→g7, gives check. Opponent replies Ke8 (king f8→e8).
5. Best move: Qh8+ — queen g7→h8, gives check. Opponent replies Kd7 (king e8→d7).
6. Best move: Qxf6 — queen h8→f6, captures rook. Opponent replies Qb6 (queen c7→b6).
7. Best move: Rd1+ — rook a1→d1, gives check. Opponent replies Kc7 (king d7→c7).
8. Best move: Qxe5+ — queen f6→e5, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kb7 (king c7→b7).
9. Best move: Nd6+ — knight f5→d6, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, fork, middlegame, quiet move, sacrifice, very long. The key move Qxe5+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2b1r1k1/r1q2p1p/5R2/b1p1p3/2P1P2N/P7/5QPP/R5K1 b - - 2 22

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