Chess Puzzle #YqTL0 — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g3; queen h3; rook f1; bishop c4; knight c7; pawns a2/d3/e4/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen b2; rooks a8/h8; bishop d6; knights a1/g8; pawns a7/b5/e5/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 9 points of material. White to move.

Solution (6 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Bxc7 — bishop d6→c7, captures knight. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxf7 — rook f1→f7, captures pawn. Opponent replies Ne7 (knight g8→e7).
3. Best move: Qe6 — queen h3→e6. Opponent replies Bd8 (bishop c7→d8).
4. Best move: Rxe7+ — rook f7→e7, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Bxe7 (bishop d8→e7, captures rook).
5. Best move: Qc6+ — queen e6→c6, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
6. Best move: Qxa8+ — queen c6→a8, captures rook, gives check. Opponent replies Kc7 (king d8→c7).
7. Best move: Qxa7+ — queen a8→a7, captures pawn, gives check.

Tactical themes

advantage, attack on f2/f7, fork, middlegame, very long. The key move Rxe7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: r3k1nr/p1N2ppp/3b4/1p2p3/2B1P3/3P2KQ/Pq4PP/n4R2 b kq - 0 17

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