White to move. How should White proceed?
8/1R6/k2rQp2/2p2P2/p2q1Ppp/1n4P1/2pr2BP/4R2K w – – 0 1
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Bf1 to get out of the pin.
Can you put an engine next to the diagram?
Susan, Fischer said in one of his interviews that chess is dead. Do you agree?
Ra7 check! Deflection!
Oh yes, and: Chess Club “Rijeka” invites you to register for the 11th European individual men and women’s chess championship. EURO 2010 will be held from 5th to 19th of March 2010 in Rijeka, in the new sports hall “Center Zamet”.
The European Club Cup 2009 started in Ohrid, FYROM, on Sunday 3rd October. 54 teams participate in the men section and 11 teams in the women section. The opening of the Games declared by the controversial ECU President Boris Kutin.
BBC website came out with a large report about chess in Armenia!! It was titled “Armenia revels in its chess prowess” and talked about how chess could be the face of a whole country!!!
1. Qxb3!
(If 1. … axb3, then 2. Ra1++)
White has the threat of 2. Qb5++ and the Black Queen cannot protect the b5 square as this will leave the a-pawn undefended.
Qc8, surely. This looks too easy to be true.
If White plays Qxb3 Black is still in the game with Qb4. I agree with Wes.
@ Anonymous 12:22 PM CDT
1. Qxb3, axb3
2. Ra1+, Qxa1
Aren’t we missing 1. Qe8 with the double threat of Qa8 and Qb5? Mate should follow quickly.
1.Qc8, I think.
1. Qc8
1. …Rd8, Qc6 leads to mate
if 1. …c4, Qa8 Qa7, Qxa7 mate
black’s best line is:
1. …Rb6 after which white can play the discovery check to pick up the queen, (Rd7) or:
2. Qa8 Kb5
3. Bc6+
then there are two main lines with sub-variations i won’t go into as (i think) they all lead to the same conclusion and i just don’t have time. I think that Kxc6 leads to a quick mate so i’ll look at the other line first:
3 …Kb4
4. Rxb6+ Kc3
5. Qxa4
and the best continuation i found for black is:
5. …Rxh2+
6. Kxh2 Qd2+
7. Bg2 hxg3+
8. Kxg3 Qxe1+ (…Qd3+ i don’t think is good for black)
9. Kh2 Qh4+
10. Kg1 Qe1+
11. Bc1 (or black gets the perpetual)Qg3+
12. Kh1 Qf3+
13. Bg2 Qd1+
14. Kh2 g3+
and here i think white should not take, but play following to avoid perpetual check (however, i didn’t look that deep):
15. Kh3 Qh5
16. Kxg3 and black is out of checks for the moment. then follows:
17. …c1=Q
18. Qxb3+ Kd2 (…Kd4 and Rd6 is mate)
19. Rd6+ Ke1
20. Re6+ Kd2
21. Qe3+ Kc2
22. Be4+ Kb2
23. Rb6+ Ka2
(23 …Ka1 24. Ra6+ Kb2 25. Qa3#)
24. Ra6+ Kb2
25. Qa3#
the line with 3 … Kxc6 leads to a quick mate. i’ll try to get to that line later.
if my lines are faulty (there’s a fair chance of that) i’m sorry.
1. Qe8
With the double mate threat:
2. Qa8 & 2. Qb5
Black cannot protect against both.
Qe8, threatening mate on both a8 and b5. Do not see how black could avoid his fate.
BN: Qxb3+ looks nice at first sight, however, black’s queen prevents Ra1+…
Maybe 1.Qe8? (threatens mate on a8 and b5)
1. … Rb6 (to cover b5 and make it accessible in the case of Qa8+)
2. Ra7+ Ka7
3. Qa8#
10 answers already posted?
I like 1. Qe8 with the double threat Qb5#/Qa8#. 1. -, Rb6 loses to 2. Ra7+!! 3. Qa8# and I do not see anything else than Rb6 to work against both threats.
My first thought was Qc8, too, but Qe8 looks much stronger. 1. Qc8, Ka5 and I do not see how to progress. 2 threats seem to be stronger…
Just had a short look (and a long post) so I hope I am right. 🙂
Best wishes
Jochen
I looked at the diagram for 30 seconds and my mind was drawn to Qc8.
Upon looking at the comments, Qe8! seems to be the one.
It seems that I have to start simulating game conditions and set up the position on an actual board and concentrate…I’ve been taking the lazy approach…
Thanks to everyone who posts comments- I am learning by reading them!
Kamalakanta
Qe8
Qc8 for white
this one was tough, but obvious when you see the solution. i kept thinking it must be Qc8 & couldnt figure out why i couldnt get it to work. Qxb3 and other wilder moves didnt work. then i swapped sides w/ the computer & Qe8 is a mate in 4, taking away the kings escape square. durrr. Qc8 merely draws believe it or not. tough puzzle for such a simple problem
I’m among the ones who thought 1.Qc8 could work, and i’m disappointed for not having seen 1.Qe8, especially if i consider that one of the variations i was analyzing is
1. Qc8 .. Rb6
2. Ra7+ .. and now the black king can escape via b5, which is impossible with the white queen on e8! Too bad i couldn’t realize i had to go a step backward!
1.Qxb3+ wins. White threatens 2.Qb5# or 2.Qxa4#. 1…axb3 2.Ra1#. 1…Qb4 2.Rxb4 (threat 2…axb4 3.Ra1# still holds). Anyway, White at least gains a piece.
1.Qc8 (threats 2.Qa8# and 2.R moves with discovered check) Black’s best is 1…Ka5 (to counter Qa8+ with 2…Ra6)