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

Position

White: king g1; queen d1; rooks c4/e1; knight g5; pawns a2/b3/c5/d6/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen a5; rooks c8/d8; bishop f8; knight f6; pawns a6/b7/f7/g7/h7. Black is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (2 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Rxc5 — rook c8→c5, captures pawn. Now White to move.
2. Best move: b4 — pawn b3→b4. Opponent replies Rxc4 (rook c5→c4, captures rook).
3. Best move: bxa5 — pawn b4→a5, captures queen.

Tactical themes

equality, fork, middlegame, short. The key move is b4.

Position data

FEN: 2rr1bk1/1p3ppp/p2P1n2/q1P3N1/2R5/1P5P/P4PP1/3QR1K1 b - - 0 22

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