Gelfand – Shirov (Odessa, 2007)
White just played 41.Rf5. Now, it is Black to move. Can Black save this game?
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a1Q , Blackins.
1…….Qf4+!!! Wins for black!
A>2.Rxf4.fxg5#!!!
B>2.gxf4.Bf2+!!.3.Qg3.Bxg3+!.4.Kxg3.a1=Q!! Wins
C>2.g4.Bf2+!.3.Qg3.Bxg3#!!
1 qf4. mate in two for black
I have to be overlooking something here- can’t black just queen the pawn?
1. ……a1Q
And now f6 is triply protected. White can’t take the new queen either….
2. Qa1 Qf4!
And black will mate with either Bf2 or fg5 depending on how white deals with this check. The best I can see is white needs to keep the queen on the 3rd rank just to prevent the mate I described above- this means Qb3 or Qd3:
2. Qb3 Qf4
3. gf4 Bf2
4. Qg3 Bg3
Should win by black just pushing the b-pawn forward.
Df4+
… BD4!
BE4
Qf4 is a winning move.
It can be observed that black Q doesn’t hang, because of fxg5#.
This is why white’s last move is impossible to understand.
Black can now instead make white’s Q hang, and must get something out of the a-pawn.
An obvious move is:
1. … Bd4!
A)
2. Rxf2?? fxg5#
B)
2. Rxf6+? Qxf6!
3. gxf6 Bxc3
Hopeless for white.
C)
2. Qc1/Qa5 a1=Q!
3. Qxa1 Bxa1
White is simply up with Q and B vs. R, since Rxf2 is still impossible!
1. … Bd4
if
2. Rxf2 Bxc3
3. Rxh2 fg#
if instead
3. gf a1(Q)
4. f7 Bc5
0-1
Qf4, then Bf2 mate
Frank
After you know there’s something it isn’t that difficult anymore…
Bd4 looks OK. It defends f6 and threatens to queen. If Rxf2 then fxg is mate. If Qc8 then Qf4 mates as fxg allows Bf2 and Rxf4 allows fxg again.
Since my first comment hasn’t appeared, then I must have been on the right track. I think black can even win without queening the a-pawn immediately, and play Qf4 on the first move:
1. ……Qf4
2. gf4
Again, Rf4 allows fg5#, and g4 allows Bf2 followed by mate. Continuing:
2. ……Bf2
3. Qg3 Bg3
4. Kg3 a1Q
And the b-pawn should be decisive since white can’t play 5.Rf6 followed by Rxb6 since this loses the rook to Qg1 with check.
Black has the rather nasty threat of …Qf4+ followed by either fg# or Bf2#.
With the White Q on the 3rd rank, this threat can be parried. And White is threatening many things as well.
But 1…a1Q defends f6 and attacks the White Q.
I am posting my comment now as I have forgotten whether I postd it in the morning (now time here is 10.47 p.m)
41…a1=Q
42.Rxf6+
(42.Qxa1 Qf4+ 43.gxf4[43.Rxf4 fxg5#] Bf2#)
(42.Rxf2 fxg5# )
(42.Rxc5 Qxc3 43.Rxc3 fxg5#)
42……Qxf6
43.Qxf6+ Qxf6
44.gxf6 Be3 (intending 45…. Bg5#)
45.g4 Bf2#
I tried first with 41…. Bd4 but 42.Qc6 ditched me.
Is it so easy as 1.-Qf4+ ?Seems so.
1. … Bd4 2. Rxf6+ (2. Rxf2 fxg5#) Bxf6 3. gxf6 Qxf6+ 4. Qxf6+ Kxf6 0-1
My first solution is wrong I’m afraid.
1. … Bd4??
2. Qc8!
and I see little defence against Qg8+#.
Then I looked at:
1. … Be7 (threat fxg5+ mating)
2. Qc6!
Pinning f6 pawn and also threat is Qe8+. Difficult for black.
Finally I looked at:
1. … Qf4+
2. gxf4 Bf2+
3. Qg3 Bxg3+
4. Kxg3 a1=Q
5. Rxf6+
with complicated play.
1. …Bd4
a)2.Qc8 Qf4+ (3.Rxf4 fxg5#) 3.gxf4 Bf2#
b)2.Qf3 Qxf3 3.Rxf3 a1Q /+-/
c)2.Qc6 a1Q 3.Qe8+ /=/
1. … Qf4+ must be winning.
Qd4 threatening a1=Q.
Neat one two.
Thinking:
A. Black must hurry given the threats on f6 and subsequent mate.
B. Opportunity knocks: If 1. … Q f4+ and 2. R*f4 then f6*g5 #;
But if 1. … Q f4+ and 2. g3*f4 then 2. Bf7 would mate if not for the queen intercepting.
C. The WQ is overworked. If 1…a2-a1 (Q) covering Q*f6 (and R*f6 is not as potent) then Q* a1 moves the Queen.
So solution:
1. ……a2-a1 =Q, 2. Q*a1 Qf4+ 3. R*f4 f6*g5# or g3*f4 Bf7#
Alternative is not taking the new BQ:
1. ……a2-a1 =Q, 2. Qb3 and now one would want to chase the WQ away from the third rank so it cannot cover g3, but WQg8# is threatened. so 2. … Qa2 3. Qd3 Qe6! 4. Qd5 Q*d5 5. R*d5 and back to the original theme! Qf4+! 6. g3*f4 Bf7#. (at 4. R*f6+ Q6*f6 and if 5 g5*f6 then Q*f6#; or 5d5+; Q6-f5)
Of course, if 3. Q*a2 here, Q*a2, 4 R*f6+ Kg7 and Black wins easily e.g Qc4
psyche.