White to move. Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? How should White proceed?
1k4q1/1P1pQ3/K2P4/8/2PP1Ppp/8/8/6b1 w – – 0 1
No computer lines please. This is a fun one. See if you can figure it out!
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Maybe d5, but what to do after …Qh8 ?
So what about Kb5, threatening Qxd7…?
Definitely a tough problem. When it was posted the second time a few weeks back, only one commenter suggested the right solution, and he didn’t actually look at the most important of the black defenses.
White has the threat of mate on the back rank, defended by the black Queen, who therefore can only move off the back rank if she does so with check, which she threatens on c4. I wondered about simply 1 d5, but 1 … Qh8 uses the surrendered dark squares to good effect. So, I wonder about 1 Kb5, maybe?
Black can’t take the pawn, because he gets mated – 1 … Kxb7 2 Qxd7+ Ka8 3 Qc6+ Kb8/a7 4 Qc7+ Ka8 5 Ka6 and mate can’t be prevented.
There don’t seem to be any other sensible defences (though I am sure there must be, given the above comment!). I looked at 1 … Bxd4 2 Qxd7 and there is no defence to mate. The f4 pawn prevents 1 … Qg5+ and 1 … Qh8 2 Qxd7 Qh5+ 3 d5 results in mate. I also wondered about 1 … Qe6, but simply 2 Qxe6 de6 3 d7 promotes a pawn. I don’t see any stalemate tricks.
I wonder what I’m missing?
chessicle
How about Qxd7. Black has no good move. Next move for white is Qc7+ mate.
1. Kb5 underlines the helplessness of the Black Q. After this move she has to stay on the 8th rank and can’t defend the d-pawn.
Black has several defenses, but none seems to avail against the threat of 2. Q:d7. Best seems to be to play 1…Ka7 to clear b8 for the black Q, but after 2. Q:d7 even that doesn’t do any good, e.g. 2…Qb8 3. Qc8 and the d-pawn marches home.
Kb6 I think, the main issue is the queen going to h8, which is very troublesome.
With Kb6 you protect the king and allow the queen to take the pawn on d7.
Black should be one move late to get counterplay (Kb6 Qh8, Qxd7 Qh5+, f5 Qh8?)
f5 is protected by the Queen on d7.
1.Kb6 Bxd4+
It is probably a win after 1.Kb5 Ka7, 2.Qd7, but the details are interesting nonetheless. This puzzle has been posted on 4 occasions that I know of here.
White will win using E4
1.d5 – 2. Q x d7 2. Q c7 doesnt matter what black does..white to win
1. d5 Qh8
2. Qxd7 Qa1+
3. Kb5 Qb2+
and so on. White can’t win.