Find the decisive blow (difficulty 1370)

87654321 abcdefgh

White to move

Show solution
87654321 abcdefgh
  1. d1–d4 key move
  2. e6–e5
  3. d4–d1
  4. d5–f4
  5. g3–f4
  6. d6–b8
  7. f4–e5
  8. d8–e8

What makes it

It is the rook that breaks the position. 8 half-moves of forced play. Difficulty 1370: hard to read in full.