1. ….e4 is actually the strongest move here, I think. While 1. ….g4 should win, too, I can’t quite find a mating line under 15 moves, while I can convince myself that 1. ….e4 is a forced mate once white uses up all the delaying sacrificial checks. By my count, it is mate in 12 moves or fewer.
Bill,
1…. Qh3 is also a very strong move. f3/f4 is not playable for white at any stage. The best defence for white to postpone mate is 2.Qg2 hoping for 2…. QxQ+ when white escapes with almost equality.Black’s best reply is 2… g4 threatening to mate when white exchanges Qs and settles for loss of R.Even 2…. Qh1+ wins R for black.Trying to save the R results in disaster 2.R2a2 g4 will result in mate very soon as 3.Qg2 does not help.
1…. Qh3
2.Qg2 Qxg2 is a blunder by black. White is saved from losing a R as 3.Kxg2 Rh2+ 4.Kf3
If black tries 3… e4 or 3… g4 white will play 4.R2a2 protecting the R or 4.Rg1 providing escape route to K through f1.
White may blunder here by 4.R1a2 when black wins by 4…. Rh1 followed by 5.R8h2#
1 … e4
This is rather strange.
There are more than 2 winning moves.
e4
i could find only e4.
1… e4 is spectacular but 1…. g4 is stronger with absolutely no counter play. In the former some checks of nuisance value should be looked into.
There is only one check 1…e4 2.Qd4+ Qe5! and White loses a rook due to the mate threat.
I agree with you.This is something which can occur with 1… e4
1…e4 2.f4
(2.Qd4+ Qe5 3.Qxe5+ dxe5 4.Kg2 Rh2+ 5.Kf1 Rh1+ 6.Ke2 Rxa1 a R up)
2…Rh1+ 3.Kf2 R8h2+ 4.Ke3 gxf4+ 5.gxf4 Rh3+ 6.Kd4 Qf6+ 7.Kxe4 Qe7+ 8.Kd4 Qe3#
With 1… g4
1…g4 2.f4 gxf3 3.Kf2
(3.Rda2 Rh1+ 4.Kf2 R8h2+ 5.Ke3 Rxa1 6.Rxh2 Re1+ 7.Kd2 f2)
(3.Qd3 Rh1+ 4.Kf2 R1h2+ 5.Kf1 Qxd3+ 6.Rxd3 Rb2 7.Kg1 Rg2+ 8.Kf1 Rh1#)Of course if white refuses 2f4 and plays 2,kf1 then black gets a R.
3…Rh2+ 4.Ke3 Qg5+ 5.Kxf3 Rxd2
1. ….e4 is actually the strongest move here, I think. While 1. ….g4 should win, too, I can’t quite find a mating line under 15 moves, while I can convince myself that 1. ….e4 is a forced mate once white uses up all the delaying sacrificial checks. By my count, it is mate in 12 moves or fewer.
try … qh3
I can’t see it, perhaps someone could say what happens after e4 and black loses his queen.
1 … e4 2. Qf5 Rh1+ 3. Kg2 R8h2, all done
I admit 1… g4 is slower.It needs 2…. Qf3 (If white does not play 2.f3/f4) to counter white Q’s influence at h1.
Another point in favour of 1… e4 could be that 2.Qg2 is not possible but I had prepared 1… g4 2.Qg2 Qf3
The simplest win is Qh3.
White – at best – loses a rook.
This is what I would have played (probably).
Bill,
1…. Qh3 is also a very strong move. f3/f4 is not playable for white at any stage. The best defence for white to postpone mate is 2.Qg2 hoping for 2…. QxQ+ when white escapes with almost equality.Black’s best reply is 2… g4 threatening to mate when white exchanges Qs and settles for loss of R.Even 2…. Qh1+ wins R for black.Trying to save the R results in disaster 2.R2a2 g4 will result in mate very soon as 3.Qg2 does not help.
1…. Qh3
2.Qg2 Qxg2 is a blunder by black. White is saved from losing a R as 3.Kxg2 Rh2+ 4.Kf3
If black tries 3… e4 or 3… g4 white will play 4.R2a2 protecting the R or 4.Rg1 providing escape route to K through f1.
White may blunder here by 4.R1a2 when black wins by 4…. Rh1 followed by 5.R8h2#
but …Qh3
Qg2 Qh1 +
wins the a1 rook so why exchange queens?
This possibility I had already mentioned in my previous comment on December 5. Here I was mentioning about blunders from either side.