White to move. Which side is better? How should White proceed?
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White is better because of forced winning
1. h3+ Kg5
2. h4+ Kf5
3. Rf8+ Ke4
4. b8=Q Rxb8
5. Rxb8 a2
6. Ra8 g5
7. hxg5 Kf5
8. Rxa2 Kxg5
Your line is not forced. Even on move 2, black can play Kg4 or Rb2+. The key moment is on move 2 after:
1. h3+ Kg5 (Kf5 looses due to Rf8+ and pawn queening). What next?
2. Kf3 (freatens h5+ and rook check on f8 or h8 with queening), but black can play Rb3+ and from this poin black should be better in my opinion. So white should try something else. Like checkmating pattern.
1. h3+ Kg5
2. h4+ Kg4
3. Rf8 (threatens mate on f4) Rb2+
4. Rf2 and white wins (if 4.. a2. 5. b8=Q Rxb8 6. Rf4++; if 4. …Rxf2 5. Kxf2 a2 6. b8=Q a1=Q 7. Qf4++)
Paulius is correct, IMHO.
Hello! 🙂
From Paulius, variation, It is pretty solid but after 3: Rf8, Rb2? Do you mean Rb4 to which would be on the same rank as the checkmating net of the white rook moving to Rf4..?..
I can’t see what wrong with playing h4 right and creates winning chances for white quicker. I might be wrong though.
1. h4, Kg5
2 Rf8, Rb4 (Stopping immediate check)
3:b1 (Promotion to a Queen) And black is lost from here.
My mistake.
1.h4, a2 (Kg5 would be illegal in this instance.) But rest stay the same.