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I guess my answer to this one depends on whether or not I was playing this over the board. If I were, no doubt I would go for the easier 1.Rd8 which requires minimal calculation, and is the the sort of thing within my capabilities:
1. Rd8 Nd8
Nothing better. 1. …Rd8 loses immediately to 2.Qe8+ followed by mate, and 1. …Qd8 loses the knight at c6 after 2.Qe4 also threatening 3.Qh7#. Continuing:
2. Be5 Qb7 (or concede b8 bishop)
3. Be4 Nc6 (what else?)
4. Bb8 and white wins a piece, easy peasy, lemon squeezey.
Of course, if I could calculate over the board like a grandmaster, I would choose differently at move 1.
This sort of sacrifice arises pretty often, and probably the most famous example I am aware of is the Kasparov-Deep Blue game where the silicon brain surprised nearly everyone with Bxh2, and Kasparov bailed out into a draw. Here, I don’t think it can be safely declined since white already has a rook ready to come to h1 on the open file:
1. Bh7! Kh7 (Kh8 is below)
2. Rh1! Kg8
Or get mated: [2. …Kg6 3.Nh4 Kh7 (or 3. …Kh6 4.Nf5 Kg6 5.Qg4#) 4.Ng6 with mate on one of the next two moves]. Continuing:
3. Ng5
And white is threatening Rh8+ followed by Qh5+ and then mate. The only real defense to this I can see is Bf5 to cover the h7 square, but…
3. …..Bf5
4. Qh5! and this has to be mate after black runs out of delaying moves.
So, let’s see if black can decline the initial sacrifice:
1. Bh7 Kh8
2. Rd8
White has more than one option here, but I can’t quite see any of them being truly better than this. Continuing:
2. …..Nd8 (anything better?)
3. Be4 and surely this is going to either win the piece as in my previous comment, or white is going mate the hapless king- that h-file is totally indefensible.
What is the solution?
I played the following line against my software:
1. Ng5 Rxd1
2. Bxh7+ Kh8
3. Qh5 Bg4
4. Qh4 Rc8
5. Nxf7+ Qxf7
6. Bg6+ Bh5
7. Bxf7 Rd5
8. cxd5 Bf4
9. Qxh5+ Bh6
10. Qxh6 checkmate
I am not sure if Ng5 is the solution, but it sure looks very strong!
Without knowing if it’s good or not, I’m attracted to trying (before black closes this possibility) the bishop sack Bxh7. The position has many signs indicating this could be interesting:
1. Bxh7+ Kxh7 (Kh8 below)
2. Ng5+!
An obvious choice, Rh1+? looks weak here.
2. … Kg8 (Kg6 below)
3. Qh5! Rfe8 (Bh3+ delays by one)
4. Qh7+ Kf8
5. Qxg7#
2. … Kg6
3. Rh1 Rxd1 (any better?)
4. Qh5+ Kf5
5. Nh7+ Ke6
6. Qe2+ Kd6 (Kd7 Nxf8+)
7. Rxd1+ Nd4
8. Qe5+ Kd7
9. Nxf8#
Here may be several variations, but it looks easy for white to find a winning line here.
1. … Kh8
Here I try:
2. Rxd8 Rxd8
3. Ng5! f6
4. Qh5! fxg5 (what else?)
5. Bg6+ Kf8
6. Qh8#
3. … g6
4. Rh1! f6
5. Bxg6+ Kg7
6. Rh7+ Kxg6
7. Qh5+ Kf5
8. Nh7+
resembles very much an earlier line I gave….
This is far from complete, but I hope it makes at least some sense…
I first thought about Be5, bringing the bishop into play and attacking the black Queen. I figured this was too easy / obvious so I checked with the computer .. and yeah, black can just trade all the pieces if he wants to, so this move doesn’t do anything special.
The computer suggested a completely different move and now I see it too. Nice one!!
A simple, good ol’ Bxh7+ combo.
Bxh+ KxB Rh1+
a)Kg6->Nh4-g6
b)Kg8 Rh8+!
Just seen this puzzle. If I was playing a casual game or blitz, I’d
go 1.Bxh7+ and if 1…Kxh7 it would be ‘etc’! But noticed your
3/4 diff. rating so presume 1…Kh8
and looks tricky! If casual or blitz I would play 2.Rh1 and then
ad hoc! Busy at moment so end of comment!
0-0-0
-0-0-
Bxh7+
1. Bb1xh7+
–br