Chess Puzzle #e9hEw — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king h1; queen e3; rooks d1/f2; bishops c3/g2; knight a4; pawns a2/b3/g4/h3. Black: king b8; queen c7; rooks d8/h8; bishops d6/g6; knight f4; pawns a7/b7/c6/e5/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (5 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rhf8 — rook h8→f8. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Rxd6 — rook d1→d6, captures bishop. Opponent replies Rxd6 (rook d8→d6, captures rook).
3. Best move: Bxe5 — bishop c3→e5, captures pawn. Opponent replies Re8 (rook f8→e8).
4. Best move: Bxd6 — bishop e5→d6, captures rook. Opponent replies Rxe3 (rook e8→e3, captures queen).
5. Best move: Bxc7+ — bishop d6→c7, captures queen, gives check. Opponent replies Kxc7 (king b8→c7, captures bishop).
6. Best move: Rxf4 — rook f2→f4, captures knight.

Tactical themes

advantage, attraction, capturing the defender, middlegame, pin, queenside attack, very long. The key move Bxc7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 1k1r3r/ppq3pp/2pb2b1/4p3/N4nP1/1PB1Q2P/P4RB1/3R3K b - - 7 27

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