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

Position

White: king b1; queen d2; rooks d1/h1; bishop e3; knight e4; pawns a2/b2/c4/d3/h4. Black: king e8; queen g4; rooks a8/h8; bishop f6; knight c6; pawns a5/b6/c5/e7/f7/g6. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxh4 — rook h8→h4, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxf6+ — knight e4→f6, captures bishop, gives check. Opponent replies exf6 (pawn e7→f6, captures knight).
3. Best move: Rxh4 — rook h1→h4, captures rook. Opponent replies Qxh4 (queen g4→h4, captures rook).
4. Best move: Qg2 — queen d2→g2. Opponent replies Rc8 (rook a8→c8).
5. Best move: Rh1 — rook d1→h1. Opponent replies Qxh1+ (queen h4→h1, captures rook, gives check).
6. Best move: Qxh1 — queen g2→h1, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, intermezzo, middlegame, trapped piece, very long. The key move Nxf6+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3k2r/4pp2/1pn2bp1/p1p5/2P1N1qP/3PB3/PP1Q4/1K1R3R b kq - 1 19

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