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

Position

White: king c1; queen c4; rooks d1/h3; bishop f3; knight e2; pawns b3/d3/e4/f2/g5. Black: king g8; queen d8; rooks a2/e8; bishop g7; knight c5; pawns c7/d4/d6/g6/h7. Material is balanced. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kh8 — king g8→h8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxh7+ — rook h3→h7, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kxh7 (king h8→h7, captures rook).
3. Best move: Rh1+ — rook d1→h1, gives check. Opponent replies Bh6 (bishop g7→h6).
4. Best move: Qf7+ — queen c4→f7, gives check. Opponent replies Kh8 (king h7→h8).
5. Best move: Rxh6# — rook h1→h6, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

attraction, deflection, kingside attack, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, pin, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Rxh6# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 3qr1k1/2p3bp/3p2p1/2n3P1/2QpP3/1P1P1B1R/r3NP2/2KR4 b - - 1 22

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