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The weakness to exploit isn’t all that easy to spot here, at least it wasn’t to me. I had to look at this for 15 minutes before I even realized just how badly protected the bishop at c5 was (I was looking for a mate, not a piece win). Once you notice that, then it is pretty simple to find the right way to win it:
1. Qc3!
And where can the black queen go? If black plays Qc3, white captures at c5 with check before retaking at c3. This leaves queen moves on the fifth rank since d6 and c7 are covered by the knight- Qf5 and Qh5. In addition, black can play Ng4 providing protection for the queen at e5, but none of these can save black, however:
1. …..Qf5 (Qc3 2.Bc5 any 3.Nc3+-)
2. Bd3 Qh5 (Qd5 3.Bc5+-)
3. Bc5 wins a piece with a strong attack.
Or
1. …..Qh5 (attacking the d1 rook)
2. Be2 Qh4
3. Bc5 and white will mate with Nc7 on the next move.
Or
1. …..Ng4 (Nd7 2.Rd7 3.Qe5+-)
2. Qe5 again taking advantage of the fact that the capture at c5 occurs with check, leaving black no time to capture at c4 with the knight after recapturing the the queen at e5.
In all these lines, white wins a piece and still retains a strong attack. Is there a mate here? I am not seeing it, but I will look at it a bit longer before going off to bed.
Congratulations to the Mavericks!
Dear Yancey,
I posted my two comments on the previous problem so tardily that you might miss them. I have a comment there about which of the two solutions is prettier.
Lucy
I think the best move is 1)Qc3!!! now if black play 1)…Qc3 2)Bc5+ now if black moves the queen at f5 then Bd3 and if move queen at h5 then Be2 …. so Qc3 wins !
This one works with the interference of the rook:
1. Rd5 .. exd5
2. Bxc5+ followed by Bd4.
There are different variations, i’m sure Yancey will write them all; there’s no point in writing them twice. 🙂
1. Qc3 !
1.Qc3! if …Qxc3 2.Bxc5 check. He has to move the queen …Qh5 2.Be2! or …Qf5 2.Bd3!
1.Qc3 Qxc3
2.Bec5+ Ke8
3.Nc7#
– High skills of MR KO (Malaysian)
White wants to play Bxc5+, but Black queen protects Black bishop, so White tries to deflect Black queen:
1. Qc3
1. … Qxc3 2. Bxc5+ Ke8 3. Nc7#
1. … Qh5 2. Be2
1. … Qf5 2. Bd3
If Black refuses to be deflected:
1. … Ng4 2. Qxe5 Nxe5 3. Bxc5+ Kf6 4. Bd4 and picks off another Black piece with 5. f4
1. Qc3 Qf5
2. g4
1-0
Sorry, 1. Qc3 Qf5 2. Bd3 of course.
(also 1.. Qh5 2. Be2)
Susan can be cunning.She gave first a problem of interception and I thought today’s also is same.I tried 1Rd5 as well as 1Bd5 where I could not proceed further.It turns out to be a problem of deflection with 1Qc3.
Hapless black Q has to support B at the same time save herself.
(a) 1Qc3 Qxc3
2Bxc5+ Ke8
3Nc7# white Q has support
still does not care to save herself.
(b) 1Qc3 Ng4
2Qxe5 Nxe5
3Bxc5+ kf6
(3…Ke8 same fate as(a))
4Bd4 White is a piece up and will win N soon.
(c) 1Qc3 Nd7
Here white has a choice either follow (b) or play 2Rxd7+ followed by 3QxQe5.Is this choice a spoler?
Certainly not because this is not the main line,one of the choices is repetetion of previous theme and the solution no doubt is aesthetic.In adition theme mate in (a) is somewhere woven into (b) and (c)which is also pleasing.
Note all black pieces are disorganized in the final position.
Are you people bored?
1 Qc3 !
Gami
Hi Susan Polgar,
Nice Puzzle.
Well,as most say “Qc3” – I do say “Qc3” :lol – Cool ,its the better fit move.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]