White to move.
It is very common for chess players not being able to convert a superior position into a full point. In this position, White is down a pawn. However, White has more than enough compensation for the pawn. How should White continue? (This is not a regular tactical puzzle. This is more of knowing how to finish off a game)
I would play 1.Qa5 here to put eyes on the a7 pawn and indirectly on the nearly naked black king. Right now, the pawn on c4 is invulnerable since it is more of a defense for black than anything else- if black takes it, 2.Qa7 ends things quickly or even 2.Ne5 is decisive. The main idea behind 1.Qa5 is a later doubling of the rooks on b-file and/or double heavy piece on the 7th rank.
1. Qa5
The question now is, how does black defend? White is threatening 2.Qxa7 followed by Rb8#. Against passive defense like Qa8, white can just prepare to double the rooks on the b-file. There are two fairly plausible defenses here- let’s look at both briefly:
1. …………….a6
This keeps the queen out of a7 for the moment, but then…..
2. Rb6 Qc4 (is Qc5 any better?)
3. Rfb1
And this just looks totally lost to me for black, so at move 1, black must guard a7 with the rook:
1. Qa6 Rd7
2. Rb5
Preparing to double the rooks on the b-file. I can make a case for 2.Ne5 here- after the exchange of knights, the white queen eyes both b8 and g7, so white can win some material back, but I think black can blunt some of white’s initiative by opposing a rook on b7, or even putting the rook on c7 and double attacking the c-pawn forcing white to defend it with Rfc1. So, I think all in all, 2.Rb5 is stronger.
2. ……………Qc7
I have literally no real idea what is best for black here- all his moves seem weak. As black, I would really like to get the queens off the board if I could, so why not offer it?
3. Qa6
As white, I want the queens on the board here- I am down a pawn and I need the queen for the attack on the king:
3. …………..Kd8 (forced)
4. c5
I think this also forced. If white plays 4.Rfb1, the black king is going to get to e7 and safety. 4.c5 prevents this by threatening 5.c6 and 6.Rb7.
4. …………..Ke8 (opens a square for the rook)
5. c6 Rd8
6. Rfb1
And I will stop here. I like this plan and my only real doubt it is maybe I am overlooking a better defense for black at move 2.
6…. Ra8 and then?
1 Ne5
1.Ne5 Nxe5 2.Qxe5 Qc7 and then?
I see two variations
(1)
1.Qe3 Qc7 2.Rb3 Nc5 3.Rb5 Nd3 4.Rfb1 Rd6 5.Qe4 (+-)
(2)
like Yancey Ward
1.Qa5 Rd7 2.Rb5 Qc7 3.Qa3 instead of 3,Qa6 (+-)
1.Qe3 Rd7 and then?
1.Qa5 Rd7 2.Rb5 Rb7 and then?
I like Ne5 as one continuation so that if NxN QxN with an eye on N8 for check which can be decisive or QxN7 as well winning a pawn and threatening KR as well. Q-A5 I like as well so that if QxP QxA7 is pretty decisive.
I would continue N-E5, so that if NxN,QxN with an eye on Q-B8+ which I think is decisive. I also like Q-A5 so that if QxP QxA7 with check to follow on A8 which is also very strong!
1.Ne5 Nxe5 2.Qxe5 Qc7 and then?