White to move. How should White proceed?
7k/1p3K2/1P3p2/5P2/r1pp4/1p1r1Pp1/3R4/3R1b2 w – – 0 1
Sorensen, 1931
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Overnight chess tactic
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Well, unless there is forced mate for white here, I think we are playing for a draw since I don’t see a way to stop all the black pawns otherwise.
1. Rd3 cd3 (Bd3 loses in one move)
2. Rf1 g2
3. Rg1 Ra2
4. Kf6 b2
5. Rg2 b1(Q) and I think black wins this. However,
1. Rd3 cd3
2. Re1! Ra2 (g2?? 3. Re4)
3. Kg6 Re2 (forced)
4. Ra1 Ra2 (forced)
5. Re1 with a perpetual.
1.Resigns. White is hopelessly down in material.
The key is Re2!!
If ..Bxe2 then Rh1and mate in2
If ..Re3 then Rxe3 ed, Rd4 and mate in 1
If ..Rd1, or ..g2, ..Bh3, ..Kh2 etc. then Re4 and mate in 1
Re2
Arctic Knight
1. Re2
with the intention Re4->Rh4 mate.
if
2. … Re3, then Rxd4 and mate soon.
if
2. … Bx2, then Rh1++
if
2. … Ra2, then
3. Re4 Rh2
4. Kg6 winning soon
1. Rxd3 cxd3 (forced)
2. Rxf1 g2 (forced)
3. Re1
and there is no defense for 4. Re4 and 5. Rh4#
if 3… Ra2, 4. Re4 and 5. Rh4#
if 3… g1(Q) 4. Rxg1 Ra2 5. Rh1#
White wins by 1.Re2! now if 1…Bxe2, 2.Rh1 is mate, and if 1…Rxd1 2.Re4 or 1…Re3 2.Rxd4 also leads to mate.
Re2!! wins. clearly, white must exploit the h file mate threat. Rxd1 Re4 and mate.
Lets try
1.Re2
if
1. Bxe2
2. Rh1#
if
1. Rxd1
2. Re4 any
3. Rh4#
if
1. Re3
2. Rxd4 and mate should follow shortly
Re2!!
With the idea of Re2-e4-h4#, or Rd1-d4-h4#
re2 and wins
1. Re2
A. .. Re3 2. Rxd4
B. .. Bxe2 2. Rh1#
C. .. Rxd1 3. Re4
1-0
Surely there is a back rank threat?
Hmm, I tried to use a tip from Jesper Hall to find the idea, let white do several moves in a row. The black king is closed in bye the white king and the white pawn on f5 also helps white in some variations to checkmate black..
Ok
1.Rxd3 cxd3
2.Rxf1 is clear, with mate threat on h1.
but after 2…Ra2 all white’s exit points are easily blocked by the Rook, and white cannot play Kxf6 and Ke7 to Queen on the f-file bcoz either the Rook or a Queen (if rook swap) will appear on e1! Hmmm….. need to sleep on it and let my subconscious solve it for me lol ;-))
1. Re2 Re3 (if 1. … Rxd1 (or 1 … g2) then 2. Re4 and 3. Rh4#)
2. Rxd4 and the mate in Rh4 cannot be avoided.
Re2
Re4
Rh4
It looks to me like 1. Re2 forces mate.
The bK is not in a good place so a future Rh1# or R8# could be target.
1.Re2 Ra2
2.Re4 Rh2
3.Kg6 and it’s all over
3. … Re3+
4.Rdxd4 Rh6+ only delays
5.Kxh6 Kg8
6.Kg6 and the back rank mate
“1. Rxd3 cxd3 (forced)
2. Rxf1 g2 (forced)
3. Re1
and there is no defense for 4. Re4 and 5. Rh4#”
3…Kh7
4.Re4 Kh6
and now?
well..though all the above come into consideration..the main key I see in the position is that the Black king is stuck…so R#f1 with the threat(?) Rh1 mate seems pretty lethal to me….the answer must be in that line of thought |I’d imagine.
Of course not, Rxf1 is easily rejected by Rxd2, Rh1+ Rh2 and black wins.
1. Re2 is the correct move.
Shortest path:
1. Rxf1… for 2. Rh1++
so 1. …g2 2. Rxg2 and 3. Rh1++
Phil Innes
Obviously after Rxf1 I overlooked Rxd2, but I thought the immediate Re2 could be met by Kh7, Kh6
Phil Innes
After 1. Re2 Kh7
white can play: 2. Rxf1 Kh6
3. Kxf6 Kh7
4. Rh1+ Kg8
5. Re8#