Chess Puzzle #fE3Bi — Expert, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen b3; rooks e1/f1; bishop b5; knight f7; pawns a3/b2/c2/d3/g2/h2. Black: king e8; queen c7; rooks a8/h8; bishops d7/f8; knights b6/e5; pawns b7/c5/d4/e6. Black is ahead by 4 points of material. White to move.

Solution (3 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Nxf7 — knight e5→f7, captures knight. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Qxe6+ — queen b3→e6, captures pawn, gives check. Opponent replies Kd8 (king e8→d8).
3. Best move: Qe8+ — queen e6→e8, gives check. Opponent replies Bxe8 (bishop d7→e8, captures queen).
4. Best move: Rxe8# — rook e1→e8, captures bishop, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

exposed king, long, mate, mate in 3, middlegame, pin, sacrifice. The combination ends with Rxe8# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: r3kb1r/1pqb1N2/1n2p3/1Bp1n3/3p4/PQ1P4/1PP3PP/4RRK1 b kq - 0 19

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