White to move. How should white proceed?
3N4/2p5/8/3q4/3k4/8/3PKP2/R7 w – – 0 1
Kling – Horwitz
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
- About Us
- Chess Improvement
- Chess Puzzles
- Chess Research
- College Chess
- General News
- Home
- Major Tournaments
- News
- Polgar Events
- Privacy Policy
- Scholastic Chess
- SPICE / Webster
- Susan’s Personal Blog
- Track your order
- USA Chess
- Videos
- Women’s Chess
- Contact Us
- Daily News
- My Account
- Terms & Conditions
- Privacy Policy
1.Ra4+ Ke5 2.Ra5! c5 3.Rxc5! Qxc5 4.d4+! followed by a knight fork, forcing a won K+P v. K ending.
1. Ra4+ Ke5
1. … Kc5 2. Ra5+
2. Ra5! c5
2. … Qxa5 3. Nc6+
3. Rxc5!! Qxc5 4. d4+! Qxd4
4. … Kxd4 5. Ne6+
5. Nc6+
1Ra4 Ke5 2.Ra5 c5 3.Rc5 Qc5 4.d4!! Qd4(4…Kd4 Ne6)5.Nc6
Amazing..)
It’s about those forks.
1.Ra4+ Ke5 (kc5 2.Ra4+ wins) 2.Ra5 QxR 3.Nc6+ Kd5 4.NxQ and wins
Ra4 Ke5 Ra5 Qa5 Nc6
One would think we are trying to create either a skewer with the rook, or a fork with the knight. In the starting position, black is threatening Qd8 with what is a likely win. Unfortunately, there are no safe squares for the knight to move to, and the rook can’t protect it directly. Now, white could play the rook to a3 and threaten to skewer the king and queen if black takes at d8, but I will assume we are looking for a win here, and try as I might, I simply don’t find much more than a draw in that line, and I can’t even be sure of that with two pieces unprotected against the potential double attacks available to the black queen (I spent about 5 minutes looking at 1.Ra3, which is no where near enough time to be sure of anything). So, what else is there? All I can see is the rook check to start:
1. Ra4 Ke5 (Kc5 2.Ra5+-)
2. Ra5! c5 (Qa5 3.Nc6+-)
3. Rc5!
I tried d4 immediately here, but after black replies with Kd4 (Qd4 loses to Nc6+), I can’t find even a draw for white). Continuing:
3. …..Qc5 (only move)
4. d4! Kd4 (Qd4 see the end)
5. Ne6 Kc4
6. Nc5 Kc5
7. Ke3!
I am not sure about other king moves here other than 7.Kf3 which should win just as quickly by my count. A move like 7.Kd2, for example, allows black to play Kd4 with what should be a draw with proper play (also Kd6 keeping the long range opposition should also draw). On Ke1, I am less sure, but I would expect Kd4 to still draw. Ditto on 7.Kd1. On pawn moves, I am pretty sure 7.f3 is a draw after black plays the king anywhere on the d-file. On 7.f4 I can see the draw on Kd5 or Kd6, but I think Kd4 is going to lose as white can go around the other side of the pawn via f3 and g4 (something not available with the pawn on f3), and cut the black king off from the f6 square. With 7.Ke3, the line might continue in this fashion:
7. …..Kd5
8. Kf4 Ke6
9. Kg5
Here, 9.Ke4 will win, but is a less accurate move. White has pawn moves in reserve, so it is ok to allow black to take some oppositions if he wants. The thing to avoid here, at all costs, is playing a drawing move like 9.f3? which allows black to take the opposition with Kf6, and the white king will have to give way. Continuing:
9. …..Kf7
I am not sure this is the longest resistance line, but Ke5 just gives up in my opinion. Continuing:
10.Kf5
Here, 10.f3 should be just as effective. Again, you have to be careful with the pawn-10.f4 is probably a draw after black plays Kg7, and the white is forced to give way, or play f5, after which black draws for sure with Kf7. Continuing:
10. ….Ke7 (Kg7 is mirror image)
11. Kg6
Again, 11.f3 is going to be just as good, but 11.f4 is going to draw after black plays Kf7 taking the opposition effectively. The rest is very straight forward. Continuing:
11. ….Ke8 (Ke6 12.f4 Ke7 13.f5)
12.f4 Ke7 (Kf8 13.Kf6 Kg8 14.Ke7)
13.f5 Kf8 (Ke8 14.Kg7)
14.Kf6 Kg8
15.Ke7 and the pawn can’t be stopped.
Now, are things different if black forces white to capture the queen at d4 at move 6 with the following line that arises from black’s choice at move 4? Only in the reduction of options for white:
4. …..Qd4
5. Nc5 Kd5
6. Nd4 Kd4
7. Kf3!
I am pretty sure this is the only winning move. I leave the rest as an exercise for the curious. I need some sleep after the wild UK vs NC game this afternoon/evening. Go Wildcats!
ra4,
ra5
han
1. Ra4+
.. Kc5 2. Ra5+ wins the queen
.. Ke5 2. Ra5 QxR 3. Nc6+ wins the queen
Ra4
Ra5 and you will own the black lady
Ra4+ wins the queen:
1. Ra4+ Kc5
2. Ra5+ or
1. … Ke5
2. Ra5 Qxa5
3. Nc6+ and NxQ
greets, jan
Best move will be:
1. Ra4+ either Ke5 or Kc5, night move, checking the King will capture the Queen.
1Ra4
2Ra5
3Knight fork does the rest.
1 Ra4+ wins.
.. Kc5 2 Ra5+ is obvious.
.. Ke5 also wins:
2 Ra5+ ends up OK for white:
.. c5
3 Rxc5! Qxc5
4 d4+ Qxd4
5 Nc6+ and wins
1-Ra4 Ke5 2- Ra5 1-0
Fernando
Ra4+ – Ke5, Ra5 – c5, Rxc5 – Qxc5, d4+ – Qxd4 (Kxd4 – Ne6+), Nc6+ – Kd5, Nxd4 – Kxd4, Kf3 1-0
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,this puzzle opens up many possible out come for draw and few for White Piece to win.
White Piece’s Initial move – “Ra3” will be a better fit.
From there on,if proper skills are employed White Piece may lead the game to draw / Win .
By
Venky[ India – Chennai ]
(1)Ra4+ Ke5
(2)Ra5 Qxa5
(3)Nc6+ Kmoves
(4)Nxa5 1-0
1.Ra4+ Ke5
2.Ra5 Qxa5
3.Nc6+ Kd6
4.Nxa5
***Black resign because not enough material to fight
1. Ra4+ Ke5 2. Ra5! c5 (2…Qxa5, 3. Nc6+-) 3. Rxc5+!! Qxc5 4. d4+ wins.
1.Ra4 Ke5 2.Ra5 Qxa5 3.Nc6
Ra4+ Ke5, Ra5 c5, Rxc5 Qxc5, d4+ Qxd4, Nc6+ Ke4, Nxd4 Kxd4
1. Ra4+ Ke5
2. Ra5 c5 (if 2…Qa5: 3. Nc6+)
3. Rc5: Qc5:
4. d4+ and White wins Black’s Queen with a Knight fork at c6 or e6.
This one is quite straightforward, but it is a sweet remembering of my first glance at chess studies.
1.Ra4+ Kd5
2.Ra5! sacrificing the Rook, but after 2…Qxa5 3.Nc6+, the ending is easily won, so
2…c5!
3.Rxc5! obstination is the second name of the Royal Game. This stubborn rook must this time be taken, but
3…Qxc5 is strongly met by
4.d4+!! with two variations.
a)
4…Kxd4
5.Ne6+ Kd5 (or Kc4)
6.Nxc5 Kxc5
7.Ke3 (or Kf3)
and the trickiest
b)
4…Qxd4
5.Nc6+ Kd5 (or Ke4)
6.Nxd4 Kxd4
7.Kf3!! (only move to win)
7…Ke5
8.Kg4! Kf6! and now
9,Kf4!! only move takes the opposition before the pawn.
I know this pawn ending is the bread and butter of all not-anymore-woodpushers, but it was worth to emphasize this technical phase.
Greetings to Wolverine and Yancey Ward, in alphabetical order.
Note: I haven’t check my study database to solve this one. Complete reference maybe later.
Regards!
Cortex
PS: the captcha was “solvers”…
1. Ra4+
If … Kc5,
Ra5+ wins Q for R
If … Ke5,
Ra5 Qxa5
Nc6+ wins Q
Naturally, If … Qc4, Rxc4
1. Ra4+ Ke5
2. Ra5! Qxa5
3. Nc6+ wins.
1.Ta5 c5 2.Txc5 Dxc5 3.d4+-, Mario de Brazil
what you talkin bout Venky???
1. Ra4+ Ke5
2. Ra5 Qa5
3. Nc6+
a queen for a rook =P
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,others comments(suggested moves) are really a slice of cake – very sweet and good.
Though my earlier suggested moves for this puzzle stand its view point,they are really secondary to others moves.
Good work by other guys for this puzzle.
By
Venky[India – Chennai ]