White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Oldie chess tactic
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Easy Sunday.
1.Rh8+ Kxh8
2.Qg8#
I want to play in 1930s.
I see Rh8 in the first 5 seconds, but the details take a bit longer:
1. Rh8 Kg7 (Kh8 2.Qg8#)
2. Qg8 Kf6
3. Qf8
Basically, I see no other way to continue the attack here, but Qf8 is obvious. Continuing:
3. …..Ke5 (Kg5 4.f4#)
4. Qe7 and mate must follow soon.
1.Rh8!.
>A-1…Kxh8.2.Qg8#
>B-1…Kg7..2.Qg8+.Kf6.3.Qf8+
>>B1-3..Kg5.4.f4#
>>B2-3..Ke5.4.Qxe7+
>>B21-4..Kf4/5.5.Rf8#
>>B22-4..Kd4…5.Qxe1.winning easily
>>B3-3..Rf7.4.Qxf7+
>>B31-4..Kg5.5.f4#
>>B32-4..Ke5…5.Re8+.
>>>B321-5..Kd4.6.Qc4#
>>>B322-5..Kd6.6.Rxe1 with a easy win.
Harry
1. Rh8+ Kxh8
2. Qg8++
1. Rh8+! Kg7 2. Qg8+ Kf6 3. Qf8+ and Black has the wonderful choice of 3..Kg5 4. f4# or 3…Ke5 4. Q:e7+ and 5. Q:e1.
Black has the sharp threat Qg3+ Kh1/Kg1 Re1#. This limits white’s options strongly. Among the options I find Qf4, Qg4 or Rd1.
They all look unclear at the best, but I instinctively like Qf4 better and want to look for an improvement to that move, so I try:
1. Qg8+ Kh6
2. Qf8+!
I dislike Qh8+ very much since I don’t know what to do when there are no more checks!
A)
2. … Rh7??
3. Qxh7#
B)
2. … Kg5?
3. f4+ Kh5
4. Qh8 Rh7
5. Qxh7#
C)
2. … Rg7?
3. Qf4+ Kh7 (Kh5 Rh8+ Rh7 Rxh7#)
4. Rh8+!! Kxh8
5. Qh6+ Rh7
6. Qf8#
D)
2. … Kh5
This must be the main line, and I think it is still complicated.
3. Qf4
Anything better here?
If so, I fail to see it.
Now threatening Rh8+ Rh7 Rxh7#, black should choose between g5 or Qg3+.
D1)
3. … g5
4. Rh8+ Kg6
5. Qh5+
Complicated, but looks good for white.
D2)
3. … Qg3+
4. Qxg3 hxg3+
5. Kg3
White has better pawns and a lead.
1. Qg8+ Kh6
2. Qf6+ Kh5
3. Qf4 g5
4. Qg4+! Kh6/Kg6
5. Rd6+!
looks very good for white (avoiding Rh8+? as I wrote in my first post).
Likely seems:
3. … Qg3+
This endgame must be favourable for white?
I forgot to mention it, but 1.Qg8 will win too for white, but 1.Rh8 is just more elegant.
That’s quite elegant. I didn’t see it at first. Of course, I look at the Queen check on g8 but then the King just runs away. And Black is on verge of a perpetual with …Qg3+
Again it helps to know there is a solution. In real over-the-board play, who knows if I would’ve played for this position as White looking for a win.
In terms of tactical motifs, ones that we have names for to help us organize our thoughts, this one’s a little different as simple as it is. It’s much more common to see a piece sacrificing itself to exploit an “overworked piece” for example – a piece that can’t be defending two squares at once. Here it isn’t a matter of the King “defending” two squares – but defending one while the other one has to be kept as a flight square.
Also, it’s more common to “remove the guard” of a square such as g8 here. In this case, White can always invade there; it’s just a matter of changing the consequences of the White Queen going there – the difference between check and checkmate.
1. Rh8+ Kxh8
2. Qg8 mate
– Craigaroo
Of course, the simple sack Rh8+ was the option that I missed here.
Still, it’s stupid to anticipate as some of you do that black takes the rook.
1. … Kg7 is obvious.
Those who believed the puzzle to be solved with 1. … Kxh8?? 2. Qg8# were wrong!
Your opponent never accepts a sack when you want him to!
To Yancey Ward:
1. Qg8 was my (foolish) suggestion.
Does it actually win?
You forgot to mention how!
pht,
Your comments were a little jumbled, but you had the basic idea:
1. Qg8 Kh6
2. Qf8!
Definitely not 2.Qh8 since Rh7 is a good defense as it removes the threat of a later Rh8+. Continuing:
2. …..Kh5
Here, the alternatives are shorter mates: [2. …Kh7 3.Qh8#]; [2. …Kg5 3.f4 Kh5 4.Qh8 Rh7 5.Qh7#]; and [2. …Rg7 3.Qf4 g5 (or 3. …Kh5 4.Rh8+-; or 3. …Kh7 4.Rh8! Kh8 5.Qh6 Rh7 6.Qf8#) 4.Qf6 Kh5 5.Rh8+-]. Continuing:
3. Qh8 Rh7
Or [3. …Kg5 4.f4! Kf5 (or 4. …Kf4 5.Qf6 with Qe7 to follow) 5.Qf8+-]. Continuing:
4. Qh7 Kg5
5. f4 and white wins.
Thanks.
I had missed the winning lines following after:
1. Qg8+ Kh6
2. Qf8+ Kh5
3. Qh8+ Kg5
4. f4+
Not seeing the winning lines here, I judged 3. Qh8 as too risky, and “went for the safe”.