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1. f8Q+ Rxf8 2. Rf7+ Rxf7 3. gxf7 h2 4. f8Q+ 1-0
An I missing something wrong with the obvious?
Qf8+ Rf8; Rf7+ Rf7 (Kany; Rf8 h2; Rf1); gf7 h2; Qf8+ Kany; Qf1 Kany; Qh1 Kany; Qh2
It looks like it’s a tossup between 1. Rg8 and 1. f8Q+. But there’s a trick. (Isn’t there always?)
1. Rg8?? Rf8!! wins
1. f8Q+ R:f8 2. Rf7+ R:f7 3. gf and wins.
1. Rg8 h2
2. f8=Q + Rxf8
3. Rxf8+ …
4. Rf1 followed by Rh1
Pf8Q,RxQ, Rf7, Rxf7, gxf7
Black threats Rh8# but there seems to be 2 good looking alternatives for white. The right one is:
1. f8=Q+ Rxf8 (else Qxc8 g2 Qc1)
2. Rf7+ Rxf7 (else Rxf8 g2 Rf1)
3. gxf7 h2
4. f8=Q+ Ke4
5. Qf1
1 – 0
The wrong solution of course is:
1. Rg8?? Rf8!!
2. Rxf8 (g7 Rxf7) h2
3. Kh6 (g7 h1=Q#) h1=Q+
5. Kg7 Qh5
6. Ra8(!) Qxg6+
7. Kh8 Qxf7
8. Rxa5+ Ke6
3. Kh4 and 4. Kg3 looks very much the same.
I feel black should win this game though I’m not sure how since white has the a-pawn.
Queening with check is key for a White win.
A-1.f8=Q+!!!Rxf8.2.Rf7+!!
If A1-2…Rxf7.3.gxf!.h2.4.f8=Q+. King moves.5.Qf1 catching the pawn and winning easily!
If A2-2…Ke4.3.Rxf8.h2.4.Rf1 catching the pawn and winning easily!
Not
B-1.Rg8??.Rf8!!.2.Rxf8.h2.
If B1-3.Kh6.Kg6!..4.Kh5.h1=Q+.5.Kg4.Qg1+.6.Kf4.Qxg6 black wins easily
If B2-3.Kh4.h1=Q+.4.Kg3.Qg1+.5.Kf3.Qxg6 black wins easily
Harry
Took about 5 mins to get this mainly because I was caught up deep into variations of an unclear line but once I looked at the winning move all the variations fell into place instantly.
1.f8=Q+ paradoxically giving up the powerful pawn just one square from promotion and preventing the rook from accessing h8 to deliver mate
1…Rxf8 attracting the rook to the f8 square
(forced because any king move results in 2.Qxc8 h2 3.Qc1)
2.Rf7+ Rxf7
(again any king move and white has time to pick up the rook and then come to f1 to prevent the h pawn from queening)
3.gxf7 h2
4.f8=Q+ K moves
5.Qf1
In the initial position, black is threatening mate on h8 so the seemingly natural move that distracted me was
1.Rg8 h2 (1…Rxg8 2.fxg8=Q wins easily)
2.f8=Q+ and black has a few options
if 2…Rxf8 3.Rxf8+ and 4.Rf1
if 2…Ke6 3.Qxc8+ and 4.Qc1
if 2…Ke4 3.Qxc8 h1=Q 4.Qa8/b7/c6 skewering the queen
if 2…Ke5
3.Qxc8 h1=Q+
4.Kg5 Qg1+
5.Qg4 and it does appear as if white avoids the perpetual check. This was the variation that I was lost in thought about before I started looking for alternate initial candidate moves. I think that this line with 1.Rg8 is also winning however it is not as clean and clear as the actual solution and it definitely requires a lot more work to be on guard for perpetual check.
Ok I just checked with an engine and in the second line with
1.Rg8 black has the amazing resource 1…Rf8!! and the queening square is blocked and white can not prevent the h pawn from queening and winning.
That is a beautiful idea that shows the hidden brilliancies in seemingly lost chess positions.
I had not even considered 1…Rf8 as a possible reply. Hopefully that is a new tool I can add to my otb games.
1.f8=Q+
(1.Rg8 is a blunder Rf8
2.g7 h2
3.gxf8=Q h1=Q#)
1….. Rxf8
2.Rf7+ Rxf7
3.gxf7 h2
4.f8=Q+ K moves
5.Qf1 wins
Draw?
1. f8=Q RxQ 2. Rf7+ Rxf7 3. Pxf7 wins
I got this one in about 15 seconds, even calculated out. This pretty forced all the way after white’s first move:
1. f8Q Rf8
2. Rf7! Rf7 (Ke6 3.Rf8 h2 4.Rf1)
3. gf7
And because white will queen with check, black’s h-pawn won’t be able to queen safely.
1. f8Q+ Rxf8
2. Rf7+ Rxf7
3. gxf7 h2
4. f8Q+ Ke4
5. Qa8+ K moves
6. Qh1 and white wins comfortably after capturing pawn.
f8=Q, RxQ, Rf7+
I think white wins by using time advantage:
1. f8=Q+ Rxf8
2. Rf7+ Rxf7 (not taking loses)
3. gxf7 h2
4. f8=Q+