White to move. What should White do?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
A puzzle by 10 year old Eve Zhurbinskiy (1587)
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White to move. What should White do?
This one is too hard for adults 🙂
i think not 1. nxg6 hg 2.bxg7 forces mate
1..fg 2.f7+ kf8 3.bxg7 mates
To expand on that solution, before someone objects about the second line:
1. Nxg6 fxg6
(1. … Qxe5 2. Ne7+ Rxe7 3. Qxg7 mate)
2. f7+ Kf8
3. Bxg7 Kxg7
4. Qf6+ Kf8
(4. … Kh6 5. g5 mate)
5. Qh8+ Ke7
6. Qxe8 mate
And before someone propose the apparent alternative solution:
1. Bxg7 Nxe5
(preparing defense of f7)
2. Qh6 Qc5
and after the Bishop moves to threaten Qg7 mate, Black can defend with … Qf8
Well it’s better than any puzzle I could have created at 10.
After 1.Bxg7?? Black winning
How is Black winning after 1. Bxg7? I don’t see it, although I think Black has much better shot at a draw. How would you win as Black after 1. Bxg7?
I think it should be
1.Nxg6 hxg6 [1..fxg6 2.f7+ Kf8 3.Bxg7+ Kxg7 4.fxe8N+ Kg8 5.Qf6 Nxe5 6.Qg7#]
2.Bxg7 Nxe5 3.Qh6 Nd3 4.Qh8#
This position is from the game
against Anna Matlin (Black).
White had a clear win after 1. Nxg6 hxg6 (2… fxg6 3. f7)
3. Bxg7
but I played 1. Bxg7??
Black was under time pressure and went: 1… Qxe5??
and after 2. Qh6 Nd4 3. Bh8 Nxe2 3. Rxe2 Qd4 4. Kf1 Qd1 5. Kf2 Qd4 6. Kg3 White won.
But after: 1… Nc5! 2. Nxg6 (or Bf8) Ne4 3. Qh4 Nxf2 4. Ne7 Nxe7 5. Qxf2 Qxf2 6. Kxf2 Ng6 Black had a winning position.
This is interesting. 3 lines to calculate:
1.Nxg6 gxh6? 2.Qxh6 … 3.Qg7#
1.Nxg6 fxg6 2.f7! Kf8 3.fxe8=Q+ (wins rook)
1.Nxg6 hxg6 2.Bxg7 … 3.Qh4 … 4.Qh8#