1bbr1rk1/p1q2ppp/1pn5/2p5/2P2P2/1P3NP1/1B2QPK1/1B1RR3 w – – 0 1
White to move. What is the best way for White to proceed? No computer please 🙂
Level of difficulty: 3 out of 4
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Attacking tactic
Susan
this is more difficult than 3 out of 4. I say it is more like 5 out of 4. Really tough.
I used the fen to get the position. I will make no comments on the actual position except this one is a really good one for discussion.
I do not have the answer.
Bxh7 Ng5+ Qh5+
If bxh7+ kxb ng5+ kg6 seems to not work. Maybe rh1+ instead of Ng5+
Its veyr clear that white starts with Bxh7+. I have seen this type of positions many times, including Kasparov – Deep blue (year ??)wherein kasparov had castled kingside and there was no knight in front of the king. Deep blue played Bxh2+ and got a superb attack.
Here too the signals are the same. White has overwhelming forces on the Kingside. Black has castled kingside but has no pieces to defend his king.
At this point, i do not want to drill further into the position. But i am sure that Bxh7+ gives white a very good attack.
Rgds,
Ramkumar
i found it i think:
bh7,kh7,rh1,kg8,rh8,kh8,ng5 and Qh5+ is unavoidable.
1.Bxh7+ KxB, 2.Rh1+
if 2…Kg8, 3.Ng5 g6,4.Rh8 mate or 3…f6, 4.Rh8+ KxR, 5.Qh5+ followed by mate or 3…Rf-e8, 4. Rh8+ and 5.Qh5+ and mate in three
if 2…Kg6, 3.Nh4+ Kh7 or Kh6, 4.Ng6+ with mate to follow
eglrock
I have partially found it.
1. Bxh7+ Kxh7
2. Rh1+ Kg6
3. Ne5+! NxNe5
4. Qh5+ Kf6
5. Qg5+ Ke6 and 6. f5++ seals it.
2…… Kg8
3. Rh8+ Kxh8
4. Ng5 Rd6
5. Qh5+ Rh6
6. Qxh6 and wins by mate in one.
Still I did not succeed to work through the variation when the King declines to take the Bishop. and there is another sub-variation in the 2nd line I analyzed which I have not deciphered. What if Black plays instead of 4.. Rd6 something different ?
Bxh7+ naturally suggests itself when there is a knight that is not guarding h7 nor is there a knight move that can reach f6 when Ng5+ exists with a free followup Queen move.
But I don’t have the entire solution yet either.
White Bishop takes the H7 pawn +
Black Kings re-takes the bishop at H7(force)
Rook to H1 +
Black King to G6 (force)
white Knight to H4 +
Black King to H6/H7(force)
white Knight to F6 (hidden rook check)
Black King to G6(force)
White queen transfer to H5 mate
Here is what I suspect but do not know this for sure.
IF for example someone finds a crushing win for white after
Bxh7 Kxh7
then we have to work out the position after.
Bxh7 Kh8
to show we can crush after that move also.
I am not saying that Kh8 is better but I am saying there are 2 possible responses to consider and no one has mentioned Kh8 as yet so I will remind.
I agree with the first poster. This is a good one for discussion. I have not worked it out. I hope to have some time later today to work on it.
Please no one ruin this problem by using a computer. I hope we can work it all out.
This one is easy guys.
Rxd8 Rxd8
Qe8 Rxe8
Rxe8 mate
simple.
Hi anonymous
You missed the fact that Rxd8 is followed by Qxd8 and Black is still safe…
“You missed the fact that Rxd8 is followed by Qxd8 and Black is still safe…”
I think Black has to recapture with the knight, since Queen takes is followed by Qe4, winning the Knight.
I agree that 1… Kh8 is messy. Here’s a fun version of the main line.
Mark
Bxh7 KxB
Rh1+ Kg8
Qe4 Bf5
QxB g6
Rh8++
Here’s another branch.
Bxh7+ Kh8
Bxg7+ Kxg7
Qb2+ Kxh7
Rh1+ Kg8
Rh8++
Mark
I am working on it but do not have it.
I will be back later. I need a break from this one.
Susan if Tommy got this one correct in less than one minute I am going to quit chess. haha. just kidding.
Tommy help me out here but don’t tell Mom. I can not use a computer but maybe I can use Tommy. 🙂
we need smilies Susan. This one is making me work. It looks so easy.
Can anyone make any progress on this one?????????
I personally like the trappy 1. Ng5 since 1…g6 runs into 2. Qh5! However, 1…h6 is probably a tougher defence when there are some tempting alternatives include 2. Qe4 g6, or 2. Qh5, I’m a bit too lazy to calculate right now.
Just posted the last comment. Actually in view of the other comments I believe 1. Rxd8 is the winning line. 1…Nxd8 is forced (1…Rxd8 2. Qe8+; 1…Qxd8 2. Qe4) and now 2. Ng5 h6 (or …g6 loses as pointed out before) 3. Qc2 g6 4. Qc3, the critical difference being black can’t play …Nd4 defending the long diagonal, so mate should follow quickly though black has a check or two on the long diagonal.
After 1. Bxh7, Kh8 2. Ng5 looks deciding.
The main threat is 3. Qh5.
For example 2. -, Rxd1 3. Qh5! [4. Bg6+ with mate], Re8 (what else?) 4. Bg6+, Kg8 5. Qh7+, Kf8 6. Qxg7+, Ke7 7. Qx7+, Kd8 8. Rxe8# or 7. -, Kd6 8. Rxd1+ and 9. Qxe8 1:0
So what is the best black plan after 2. Ng5 ?
One idea is to play something like Nd4 to stop the bishop on b2 to interact in the attack but that won’t help.
2. -, Nd4 3. Qh5, Rfe8 (what else to prevent mate? g6 4. Qh6, Rfe8 5 Rh1! or Rd6? 4. Bg6+!) 4. Bg6+, Kg8 5. Bxf7+ 1:0
Not even 2. -, Rd6 3. Qh5 Rh6 will help as long as g7 is pinned.
So what do you think what is the best defense for black after 1. -, Kh8 2. Ng5 ?
I’d predict that white wins at least all three black king side pawns and leave black in a deastrou position.
I have ued no board so I am not blamable for blunder I am eventually doing here. 🙂
I am sorry, I took the wrong word over there.
“Eventualle” means something different then the german word “eventuell” which I wanted to use – this has to be “possibly”.
Yeah, I have to admit: I (ab)use this blog for improving (?) my english. 🙂
if
1.Bxh7+ Kxh7
2.Ng5 Kg6
3. and now what ?
It doesn’t work …
1.Bxh7+
and 1.Rxd8 2.Qe8+
don’t work, not either a mix of both …
It is necessary to find another theme …
The bishop en b8 is “rare”…
If Be5 and then Be4 … and then Bb8! … could be possible.
But how??
to Jochen
I have to admit: I (ab)use this blog for improving (?) my chess!!! 🙂
… and my english too !!!
Here’s one variation…
1.Bh7 Kh7
2.Qc2…
Now, 2…Kh6 3. Rh1 mate
or,
2…Kh8 3.Rh1 Kg8 4.Qh7 mate
or,
2..g6 3.Rh1 Kg8 4.Rh8 mate…
I still don’t know how to handle 1…Kh8. Any ideas?
“Here’s one variation…
1.Bh7 Kh7
2.Qc2…”
Here is another one:
2. -, f5!
“Now, 2…Kh6 3. Rh1 mate
or,
2…Kh8 3.Rh1 Kg8 4.Qh7 mate
or,
2..g6 3.Rh1 Kg8 4.Rh8 mate…”
It seems you took the weakest moves for black after 2. Qc2+.
Even Kg8 (which seems much worse than f5) is better than your named variations.
@Xargon:
“if
1.Bxh7+ Kxh7
2.Ng5 Kg6
3. and now what ?”
Some posts above you can read the clue.
It is not 2. Ng5+ but Rh1+
Now Kg6 3. Nh4+ leads to a real nice mate.
Another variation is Kg8, of course.
Now 3. Ng5 (yeah, now it seems to win!) with the main threat 4. Rh8+! (but also Qh5 for example after 3. -, Bf5).
A nice variation is 3. -, Rfe8 4. Qh5 Kf8 5. Qh8+ Ke7 6. Re1+, Be6 7. Rxe6+! 8. Qxg7#
or 6. -, Ne5 7. Qxg7 or 7. RxN+, QxR 8. QxR I propose there are several win here.
Do you still think Bxh7 won’t work?
Perhaps you’re right but then you have to find a defense after 2. Rh1+, Kg8 3. Ng5
“I still don’t know how to handle 1…Kh8. Any ideas?”
If you still ask if anyone has ideas you don’t have read my post.
Read it and comment on it, how me why I am wrong or whatever.
But don’t ask for ideas if I had one and told you….
Greetings
Jochen
PS:
“I have to admit: I (ab)use this blog for improving (?) my chess!!! :)”
What an abtruse idea. 😉
Nooooo.. I missed 2…f5! and then the black king has escape routes via g8 or g6. Too bad!
Sorry Jochen, I have read your comment… I was requesting ideas for the line I suggested.
How about 2..Kg8 3.Bg7 Kg7 4.Qb2 Kg6 5.Nh4… Every subsequent line seems to get a mate…
Jochen,
are you using some engine ?
if
1.Bxh7+ Kh8
2.Rxd8 Qxd8
3.Rh1 +-
“Jochen,
are you using some engine ?”
I use “BRAIN 1.0”.
And sometimes (if it gets too hard) I use the addon: “figure set and chess board addon for BRAIN 1.0”.
And if even the addon won’t help I use the “read the other’s comments” function.
I do not like other engines. They may see more than me but that’s no fun than, is it?
And even if I liked them I could not use them because I have none installed on my PC.
Why do you ask?
Susan, see what I’d meant? After all this, we need the solution. So will you be posting the solution or not? Or has our feedback in response to your blog entry asking about the future of this blog fallen on deaf ears?
I was busy looking at Bxh7, but what is wrong with.
Rxd8 Qxd8 (forced)
Qe4 (threatens mate in 1) ..
Qxc6..
If you prefer more attack and less material 2. Bxh7 still looks like a win to me.