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

Position

White: king a1; queen a7; rooks d1/h1; knight c5; pawns a2/c4/d4/f2/f3/h4. Black: king e7; queen d6; rooks b8/h8; bishop f4; knight b4; pawns a3/e6/f7/g7/h6. Black is ahead by 2 points of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Kf6 — king e7→f6. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Ne4+ — knight c5→e4, gives check. Opponent replies Kg6 (king f6→g6).
3. Best move: h5+ — pawn h4→h5, gives check. Opponent replies Kh7 (king g6→h7).
4. Best move: Nf6+ — knight e4→f6, gives check. Opponent replies gxf6 (pawn g7→f6, captures knight).
5. Best move: Qxf7# — queen a7→f7, captures pawn, delivers checkmate.

Tactical themes

epaulette mate, fork, mate, mate in 4, middlegame, sacrifice, very long. The combination ends with Qxf7# delivering checkmate.

Position data

FEN: 1r5r/Q3kpp1/3qp2p/2N5/1nPP1b1P/p4P2/P4P2/K2R3R b - - 6 31

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