Black to move. What is the best continuation for Black?
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
I think this win wins for black.
1.Nxg2 RxN (if, lt’s say, 1…Bf2 [to stop mate] 2.Nh4+ Kg1 3.Nf3+ and wins black’s rook.
2.h4 h3 (2…Nd1 3.hxN PxP 4.Re1 and white wins a lot of material)
3.hxN pxp
4.c4 Nd1
5.Re1 Kh2
6.BxR NxR
7.Rxb1 with an easy win.
Move starts with 1. h4 to dislodge the Knight on g3 and force it to occupy e2 (blocking the rook) or f1 preventing White’s light squared bishop from occupying it later to protect g2 where mate can be delivered…
nf4 seems good for blk
1. … Bxg2+
2. Rxg2 Nxg2
3. Kxg2 Rxd3
4. Bxd3 Nf5+
5. K moves Nxd3
Black has taken a rook, a knight, a bishop and a pawn.
White has taken a rook, a knight, and a bishop.
So Black gains by this exchange. However, White was ahead by one minor piece and will take the h5 pawn next. So, this would make material balance about equal: White now has one extra minor piece but three fewer pawns. Black is somewhat better than before the exchange but maybe Black can achieve more.
1. … h4
2. Bxe3! hxg3
3. hxg3 Rh8+
4. Kg2 and White is home free.
1. … Nxg2
2. Nxg2 Bxg2
3. Kxg2 h4
does not look like much of an improvement.
So I guess I’m stumped!
to dirtygarry, your line 1….does not work since:
1…..h4
white simply plays;
2.BxN PxN
3.hxg and blac has three pawns for a bishop with a very unclaer position.
white could try next 4.Ba2 with the idea of 5.Ne5+ Kf7 6.Bxf6 RxR 7.bxR PxN 8.bxg5 and winning another pawn.
to eugene.
in your line
1…Nxg2
White can’t play 2.Nxg2.
I’m guessing you meabt 2.Rxg2; in that case black plays 2.h4 with a winning combination. Check my first comment.
Both 1.-Nxg2 or 1.- Bxg2+ must be correct, since white must reply 2. Rxg2. Then the queenside black pawns will be a deadly black force.
HenryK,
I believe there is an error in your analysis. You wrote:
1.Nxg2 RxN
2.h4 h3
3.hxN pxp
4.c4 Nd1
5.Re1 Kh2
6.BxR NxR
7.Rxb1 with an easy win.
However, 3. … pxp is not possible.
So:
1.Nxg2! RxN
2.h4 h3
3.hxN and white is busted.
3.a. … Be3
4. c4 Nd1
5. Re1 Kg1
6. BxR KxB
7. RxN and still attacking two pieces…
3.b. … Bc2
4. c4 Nd1
5. Re2 Be3
6. Re2 white is finished (Kg2, RxN#; Bf2, RxB; Bd2, RxB; B-anywhere else, RxN+, Bg1, Re2 winning everything)
3.c. … Ba2
4. RxN with all threats remaining
3.d. … N-anywhere gets taken (piece equality, 4-pawn and positional advantage) or Nf4/Rd1 with devastating effect
So, HenryK, your line still works, only better because the pawn on g3 cannot be taken.
Others might say, well why 2. … h3?
Because:
1.Nxg2! RxN
2.h4 then:
2.a. … anything but h3 (except, of course, Nd1 (addressed by HenryK and the spite-check Nd5) leads to 3. h3 and white will not be able to avoid major material losses.
e.g.:
2. h4 Nf5??
3. h3 Ne3
4. Nf4 NxN
5. gxN and the remaining Knight is lost (else mate) and the Rook will still fall with no compensation.
or:
2. h4 Nf5??
3. h3 Ne3
4. Nf4 Bf2
5. hxR Kg1
6. NxNe3 BxN
7. RxB black is up the exchange and 3 pawns (assuming Kxg2 is coming).
I think the puzzle can be considered solved if you had 1. Nxg2 and, if RxN, 2. h4 as, after that, everything loses spectacularly.
By the way,
1. Bxg2 does not work so well.
1. Bxg2 RxB
2. NxR KxN and white may be losing, but is far from lost with four minor pieces vs. a rook, a Knight, and 4 extra pawns.
I would imagine Susan’s intent was to simplify to an easily won game rather than one with white pieces flying every which way, potentially forking their way to a draw or better.
Susan I love your blog and all you do for your chess, just one tiny request, if possible could you please indicate EASY / MEDIUM / HARD on puzzles?
It’s no big deal though, this website is great in any case, and btw you look terrific in the Nat Geographic feature, wish I could meet you one day but I am on another continent :p