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1).. Rxd5 2)Qxd5 Rd8
… Ng4 2.fxg4 Bxg4 3.Re1 Rxd4
It’s what we call a cross-pin. Is there a more common name for this tactic?
Took about 15 seconds to get this one. White can simply win a piece with
1…Rxd4
2.Qxd4 Rd8
if 3.Qxb6 then we take advantage of the c1 bishop disconnecting the rooks and play the intermezzo
3…Rxd1+
4.Kf2 axb6 and black is up a piece for a pawn.
if 3.Be3 then 3…Rxd4
4.Bxd4/Rxd4 and black has a queen and a knight for the two rooks and a pawn.
So can white do anything else after 1…Rxd4. I think that he is forced to recapture because the rook is attacking the queen and it is ready to unleash a decisive discovered check (and double check in some variations) if the queen moves.
His best chance is probably going for the second variation where he has 2 rooks and a pawn for the queen and knight. Black is still massively ahead but after 4.Rxd4, he can at least play 5.Rad1 and have 3 active pieces and threatening to win the queen or mate on the back rank. Black of course can stop all that with either Nd5 or Bd5.
1. … Rxd4 2. Qxd4 Rd8 3. Qxb6 Rxd1+ 4. Kf2 axb6 0-1
1…RxN!! (Is simple…but I pondered for a good time on other possibilities!…)
If,
2.QxR Rd8! and white looses a piece…as
3.QxQ (The Queen cannot capture the d8 Rook because of pin on g1-a7 diagonal!…The crux…) Continuing..
3…RxR+ 4.Kf2 axQ and black is a Knight up…
Once you’ve seen the tactic, what’s interesting is why it works. White is relatively undeveloped: the bishop on c1 means the rooks are not defending each other…
It’s a win because the position segues into this:
6n1/1N4P1/8/8/1K6/8/8/1k3N1n w – – 0 1
1. … Rxd4! Takes advantage of the white knight’s pin and the insufficient protection of Rd1.
2. Qxd4 Rd8
3. Qxb6
3. Bb2 Rxd4
4. Bxd4 with two rooks vs. queen and knight – might be better for White than the main variation.
3. … Rxd1+
4. Kf2 axb6
and Black is a piece up.
1. Rxd4! Qxd4
2. Rd8!! Qxb6
3. Rxd1+ Kf2
4. axb6
Black is up with a knight.
Variation:
2. … Bb2
3. Rxd4 Rxd4/Bxd4
Black is up with Q+B+N vs. R+R+B, pretty much the same.
The theme was obvious because of the pin on d4.
1….. RxN
2.QxN RQ1
3.QxQ RxR+
4.KB2 PxQ
1……Rxd4+
If A-2.Qxd4.(otherwise white loses a piece and rook at least for nothing, See variations B and C).Rd8!
If A1-3.Qxb6.Rxd1+.4.Kf2.axb6 and white is a piece up.
If A2-3.Qe3/f2.Rxd1+#!!
If A3-3.Be3.Rxd4
If A31-4.Rxd4.h6!!.5.Rad1.Kh7!! and black has Q+N+B vs white 2R+B.
If A32-4.Bxd4.Qb7!.5.Bxa7!.h6! with almost same situation as in A31.
If B-2.Qd3.Rxd3+.3.Be3.Rxd1+. 4.Rxd1.Qxe3+.5.Kf1.h6! and black has Q+B+N for white R.
If C-2.Q any other move.Rxd1#
If D-2.any other move.Rxd2. and black has Q+N for white R winning easily.
Harry
As white, to make the game last a little longer, I would prefer the line:
1. … Rxd4
2. Qxd4 Rd8
3. Bb2 Rxd4
4. Rxd4
There are unequally colored bishops, white has a pawn for the piece and plans Rad1 with an active pair of rooks, and black needs to play accurate and avoid blunders like:
4. … Qb8??
5. Rad1 Qb4 (to meet Rd8 with Ne8)
6. a4 Qc6
7. Rd6
where white wins.
Cross pin sounds right to me. I got this one in about 5 seconds:
1. …..Rd4!
2. Qd4 Rd8!
The keystone- white’s queen cannot take at d8 because she is pinned to the king by black’s queen. White can take at b6, of course, but the queen is also pinned to the rook at d1 which can be captured with check:
3. Qb6 Rd1
4. Kf2 ab6
Wins a knight.
Probably best for white at move 3 is to just concede the queen by playing either Be3 or Bb2:
3. Bb2 Rd4
4. Bd4
And white has at least gotten two rooks for a queen and knight- a marginally better situation than being a full piece down. Still lost, though.
Very good point (by fajac, Yancey Ward, pht and maybe others) that 3) Bb2 is probably White’s best, giving up the Queen and getting as much back as possible in the form of two Rooks. In fact, doesn’t White win another pawn after recapturing on d4 with the Bishop?
3)Bb2 Rxd4
4) Bxd4 … and regardless where the Black Q moves, White can capture the pawn on a7 because of the back row mate threat Rd8 No doubt this was Black’s best continuation but this wouldn’t be an easy win, not for me at least!
– Craigaroo
Craigaroo,
Black can protect a7 with Qa6- the back rank mate threat fails because black will retake at a7 with check.
Oops! Yancey of course is right. And keeping that pawn makes a big difference; otherwise White has the two connected passed pawns to create potential trouble.