3rrb2/pbq3pk/1p3p1p/4p3/2P3NP/1P4R1/P2R2P1/2Q2B1K w – – 0 1
White to move. What is the best way for White to proceed? No computer please. See if you can figure this out.
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1.Rxd8 Rxd8 2.Qxh6+ Kg8 (2…. gxh6 3.Nxf6+ Kh8 4.Rg8#)
3.Nxf6+ Kf7 4.Qg6+ Ke7 5.Ng8+ Kd7 6.Qf5+Kc6 (6… Ke8 7.Qe6+ Be7 8.Rxg7)
7.Rg6+ Bd6 (7… Rd6 8.Qxf8 Rxg6 9.Qe8+ and Qxg6)
8.Qxe5 and Black is losing badly
missed 6… Ke8 7.Qe6+ Be7 8.Nf6+ Kf8 9.Rg8# or Qg8#
No the g pawn was still on the board so only 9.Qg8# was possible
1.Rd7 Qxd7 2.Qxh6+ Kg8 3.Nf6+ Kf7 4.Qg6+ Ke7 5.Ng8#
1….. Rxd7 2.Qxh6+ Kg8 3.Nf6+ Kf7 4.Qg6+ Ke7 5.Qxe8+ Kxf6 6.Rg6+ Kf5 7.Qe6+ Ke4 8.Qg4+ Ke3 9.Qe2+ Kd4 10.a3 threatening 11.Qf2+ and Ke4 Rg4# or Kb3 Rg3+ Rd3 Rxd3#
James,
5.Ng8 in the first line isn’t mate- the king retreats to d8, and after that I think it likely black will win.
The second line looks ok to me up to 10.a3- what will white do to win after 10. …e4? I need time to look deeper, but I would check from b2 on move 10 with the queen since black is then forced back to e3 or e4, but I can’t quite work it all out, but there has to be a mate in there somewhere.
There was a R on d8 in the Qxd7 line, there’s probably an improvement somewhere in the other line leading to a win.
Ok, you are correct about the first line- I had for some reason missed that it was Qxd7 rather than Rxd7. The perils of trying to do this sort of thing just before bedtime.
If 1.Rxd8 Qxd8 is a strong reply for black
In my opinion
1. Rd7 Qc6
2. Qxh6+ Kg8
3. Rxb7 Qxb7
4. Nxf6+ Kf7
5. Qg6+ Ke7
6. Nxe8 Rxe8
7. Qxg7+ Bxg7
8. Rxg7+ Kf6
9. Rxb7 Rd8
10. Rxa7 Rd2
My first thought also was 1.Rxd8, but as Alena points out, when the black queen retakes at d8, she has eyes on f6- the pawn the knight needs to capture safely.
I think this is a case where, if you want to improve as a chess tactician, you must learn to immediately recognize certain patterns of force for cooperating pieces- the knight/rook combo for white is one of those patterns in the inherent threat of Nxf6+ followed by Rg8#. If you can see that quickly, it might lead you to wonder how white might play Nf6 safely.
I was looking at:
1. Qc2+ Kh8 (if …g3, Nxf6+ Kh8, Nxe8 and black is down material and position)
2.Qg6! Re6 seems like the best move for black (Can someone find a better?)(if …Rxd2, Nxf6+ mate in one)(there are two checks but they seem to just delay)
3. Rxd8,Qxd8
4. Bd3 and mate follows.
Am I missing anything?
Opps, I overlooked 4…e4
1. Qc2+, Kh8
2. Qg6 Re6
3. Rxd8 Qxd8
4. Nxh6 (it gets complicated with so many lines, but white has some threats: push h pawn, N perpetual check f7, h6)
Anyway, I like white here.
after 4. Nxh6 Qd7 looks like the best move
5.h5 R37
6.Nf5 Rf7
7. h6 (threatening h7 Nh6# (I don’t see how white can stop it)
Does anyone see a flaw with this line?