Chess Puzzle #zQ2gO — Master, White to move, middlegame

Position

White: king g1; queen d3; rooks c1/c2; knights d5/e5; pawns a4/b5/d4/e3/f2/g2/h3. Black: king g8; queen a3; rooks c7/c8; knights e4/e7; pawns a5/b6/e6/f7/g7/h7. White is ahead by 1 point of material. White to move.

Solution (4 moves)

1. Opponent setup: Qxd3 — queen a3→d3, captures queen. Now White to move.
2. Best move: Nxe7+ — knight d5→e7, captures knight, gives check. Opponent replies Kf8 (king g8→f8).
3. Best move: Nxd3 — knight e5→d3, captures queen. Opponent replies Rxc2 (rook c7→c2, captures rook).
4. Best move: Nxc8 — knight e7→c8, captures rook. Opponent replies Rxc1+ (rook c2→c1, captures rook, gives check).
5. Best move: Nxc1 — knight d3→c1, captures rook.

Tactical themes

crushing, intermezzo, middlegame, very long. The key move Nxe7+ captures with check, forcing a response.

Position data

FEN: 2r3k1/2r1nppp/1p2p3/pP1NN3/P2Pn3/q2QP2P/2R2PP1/2R3K1 b - - 0 23

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