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

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks b1/e1; bishop a3; knights b3/d4; pawns a2/c3/e5/f2/g3/h4. Black: king g8; queen c4; rooks a8/e8; bishops a4/g7; knight f5; pawns a5/b6/d5/e6/f7/g6/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxc3 — queen c4→c3, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxf5 — knight d4→f5, captures knight. Opponent replies gxf5 (pawn g6→f5, captures knight).
3. Best move: Rc1 — rook b1→c1. Opponent replies Qc4 (queen c3→c4).
4. Best move: Rxc4 — rook c1→c4, captures queen.

Tactical themes

advantage, long, middlegame, trapped piece. The key move Nxf5 wins material.

Position data

FEN: r3r1k1/5pbp/1p2p1p1/p2pPn2/b1qN3P/BNP3P1/P4P2/1R1QR1K1 b - - 3 24

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