Black has a huge advantage in three minor pieces for a rook. In addition, Black has the double threat of Qxc2 and Bf2 winning another exchange. That plus White’s back rank weakness spells doom. Therefore White should play Qxh7 and boldly say “checkmate!” while extending a hand, hoping that Black doesn’t notice Nxh7.
Qh6 with the idea of exchanging rooks on the g file and then taking the other rook to the 7th file threatening mate and to take the queen in case the knight moves to defend mate.
1. Qh6 Rg8 2. Rg8! Kg8 (Ng8 3.Qc6 wins) 3. Re7 and I don’t see a defense to the mate other than delaying moves, I think (the knights drive me nuts trying to solve these things, though, and I hope I haven’t missed something really really stupid).
The only other alternative I see for black at move 1 is to play Ne5 and hope white screws up by playing 2. Qg7:
1. …..Ne5 2. Qg7 Ke8 and I have looked at this for 15 minutes without finding a way to effectively continue the attack. 3. fe5 would appear to lose to Nh5 with a deadly fork. Other moves don’t seem to lose, like 3. Qh6, but they don’t look winning either. However, white should just play
2. fe5 Qe6 (nothing else) 3. Qf6 should be enough to win by itself, but 3. Rg7 and 4. Rh8 might be stronger, but I haven’t checked the lines deeply enough to be 100% sure.
@Mark: can’t black after 2. Re7+ nog simply play Rf7? I don’t see a mate after that.
I must say that I don’t see anything clear-cut at all (but it is very late here, mind you! :-)), I would probably play 1. Qh6 with the not so subtle mate-threat. After Rg8, 2. Rxg8 – Kxg8, 3. Re7, black might be in trouble.
1.Qh6! Rg8 2.Rxg8 Kxg8 3.Re7+-
1. Qh6 Rg8 2. Rxg8 Kxg8 3. Re7
1Qh6 with the threat of mate on g7.
1… rg8 to defend g7 of course if f6 N moves the Q is gone.
2 Rxg8 Kxg8 is foced
3 Re7 with threats of mate on g7
black can only defend by dropping the Q
1.Qh6 Rg8 2.Rxg8 Kxg8 3.Re7
Qh6 looks good to me..
Black has a huge advantage in three minor pieces for a rook. In addition, Black has the double threat of Qxc2 and Bf2 winning another exchange. That plus White’s back rank weakness spells doom. Therefore White should play Qxh7 and boldly say “checkmate!” while extending a hand, hoping that Black doesn’t notice Nxh7.
1.Qh6 Rg8
2.Rxg8 Kxg8
3.Re7 leads to mate.
Seems to me like Qh6 wins …
if … Rg8, Rxg8 Kxg8, Re7
threatening mate on g7.
The N on f6 is pinned.
1. Qh6 Rg8
2. Rxg8 Kxg8 (Nxg8 loses the queen)
3. Re7 and white should win
hmmm . . .
1. Qh6 Rg8
2. Rxg8 Kxg8
3. Re7! 1-0
black has to move the fN to
cover g7
Qh6
Qh6 with the idea of exchanging rooks on the g file and then taking the other rook to the 7th file threatening mate and to take the queen in case the knight moves to defend mate.
So, Qh6 Rg8 RxR KxR Re7.
1.Qh6
1.Qh6 looks crushing
I don’t have time to look carefully. So far what I see is:
Qh6 Rg8
RxR Kxg8 (or Nxg8 losing the Queen)
Re7 threatens mate, and I don’t see a viable defense
Boy, I hope it’s allright. It took me quite a while!
1. Qh6 Rg8
2. Rxg8 Kxg8
3. Re8+ Nxe8
4. Qxc6
Maybe this:
1. Qh6 Rg8
2. Rg8! Kg8 (Ng8 3.Qc6 wins)
3. Re7 and I don’t see a defense to the mate other than delaying moves, I think (the knights drive me nuts trying to solve these things, though, and I hope I haven’t missed something really really stupid).
The only other alternative I see for black at move 1 is to play Ne5 and hope white screws up by playing 2. Qg7:
1. …..Ne5
2. Qg7 Ke8 and I have looked at this for 15 minutes without finding a way to effectively continue the attack. 3. fe5 would appear to lose to Nh5 with a deadly fork. Other moves don’t seem to lose, like 3. Qh6, but they don’t look winning either. However, white should just play
2. fe5 Qe6 (nothing else)
3. Qf6 should be enough to win by itself, but 3. Rg7 and 4. Rh8 might be stronger, but I haven’t checked the lines deeply enough to be 100% sure.
Qh6 wins!
1. Rg7+ Kxg7
2. Re7+ Kg8
3. Qg3+ Kh8
4. Qg7#
2. …. Kg6
3. Qg3+ Kh6
4. Qg5#
3. …. Kf5
4. Qg5#
Mark
@Mark: can’t black after 2. Re7+ nog simply play Rf7? I don’t see a mate after that.
I must say that I don’t see anything clear-cut at all (but it is very late here, mind you! :-)), I would probably play 1. Qh6 with the not so subtle mate-threat. After Rg8, 2. Rxg8 – Kxg8, 3. Re7, black might be in trouble.
Mark,
1.Rg7+ Kxg7
2.Re7+ Rf7
and then what?
1.Qh6
Qh6++
1 Qh6 Rg8
2 RxR KxR
3 Re7 Resign
Qh6
1.Qh6 threatens Qg7# or Rg7#
the knight on f6 is pinned because of the undefended black Queen. The only defense against the mate threat is 1.Rg8 then…
2.Rxg8 Kxg8
3.Re7 and mate next move
correction no check on Re7
1. Qh6
threatening Qg7#.
If the N on f6 moves, black loses the queen.
If 1… Rg8, then
2. Rxg8 Kxg8
3. Re7
1-0
Qh3 threatens Rg7#.
1….Rg8
2.Rxg8..Kxg8
3.Re7…
I think 1.Qh6 Rg8 2.Rxg8 Kxg8 3.Re7 game over.. am i correct?
THIS BEATS ME, I GIVE UP
Anonymous you probably meant
1.Qh6 threatens Rg7#
not 1.Qh3
@ Mark: Also after 3. Qg3+ Ng4, 4. Qxg4+ Qxg6! Now what?
In my analysis 1. Qh6 is winning!
Once 1.Qh6, what about 1. … Ne5 ?
To the anonymous commenter that asked about 1. …..Ne5. See my comment above. I agree, it is a better move than Rg8.