Waldmann, Hans Joachim – Hoffmann, Hendrik (Dresden, 1993), presented by Andreas
White to move. How can White save this game? No computer please!
6k1/2r2pb1/4p1P1/3pP3/1p4Q1/pP1N4/P1q5/K5R1 w – – 0 52
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Keen eye for the not so obvious
Save? Impossible. White is dead lost.
Au contraire. White can, and did, force a draw.
It is a forced mate in 4. White loses if black plays right
White loses if black plays right
White forces a draw. Black can’t do anything about it.
I think the idea here is to find a draw for white with a stalemate…this could happen with:
1.gxf+ Rxp
2.Rc1 QxN (forced since 2…Qh2(or Qd2) 3.Rc8+ mates)
3.Rc8+ Rf8
4.RxR+ KxR
5.QxB+ KxB and stalemate
I can see the equalizing (probable equal) trick. But I wouldn’t use the word ‘forcing’ as I’m unable to find a draw by stalemate or repetition in every variation since 3. Rc8+ doesn’t mate after 2. .. Qd2/h2
1.gxf+ Rxp
2.Rc1 QxN (forced since 2…Qh2(or Qd2) 3.Rc8+ mates)
1.gxf7+ Rxf7
2.Rc1 Qd2
3.Rc8+
… doesn’t mate (3…Rf8 leads to a draw). Maybe the clearest draw for White is 3.Qxe6.
1.gxf7+ Rxf7
2.Rc1 Qh2
3.Rc8+?
… looks losing (3…Kh7). But 3.Qxe6 is no worse than drawn, and might even win.
After
1.gxf7+ Rxf7
2.Rc1 Qh2
3.Qxe6 Qg2 there is still a lot of play to be had. Doing an exhaustive analysis seems like a big task
alright, there was no mate after 3.Rc8+.
however, Idon’t see any winning line for white after 2….Qd2. However, the Qh2 line is kind of interesting…
a) 2…..Qd2
3.Rc8+ Rf8 (3…Kh7 4.Qh5+ Qh6 5. QxR Qh1+ 6.Rc1 and white wins)
4.Qxe6+ Kh8 (or kh7)
5. Qf5+ Kg8 and it’s just a draw since white has to prevent black from either playing Bxe5+,Qb2# or Rf1+ and so on.
b) 2….Qh2
3.Qxe6 (threating 4.Rc8+ Kh7 5.QxR)
3…..Qh5 (or Qf2)
4.Qxd4 and white is on top.
🙂 Henryk you don’t seem to on top of your game today with all the imagined threats and questionable black moves in your analysis. Clear holes in both your Qd2 and Qh2 ananlysis even excepting and correcting the Qxd4 to Qxd5. Please try again.
1.gxf7+
[1.Qg3? f5 2.Qe3 Qc3+ 3.Kb1 Bh6 4.Qh3 (4.Qxh6 Qxd3+ 5.Ka1 Qd4+ 6.Kb1 Qb2#) 4…Qc2+ 5.Ka1 Bd2 forces mate.]
1…Rxf7 2.Rc1!! Qxd3
[2…Qh2 3.Qxe6 Qg2
(3…Qh5?!; 3…Qf2) 4.Kb1 Bf8=]
3.Rc8+ Rf8 4.Rxf8+ Kxf8 5.Qxg7+ Kxg7 ½–½
Replace Qxg7+ by Qf5+. It is prettier.
After
1.gxf7+ Rxf7
2.Rc1 Qh2
3.Qxe6 Qg2 there is still a lot of play to be had. Doing an exhaustive analysis seems like a big task
Agreed. But one thing’s for sure: White isn’t going to lose.