White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Way too hard.
1)BXF6 Bxf6 2）BXH7 kxh7 3)Qh5+ kg8 4）Rd3
1)BXF6 Bxf6 2）BXH7 kxh7 3)Qh5+ kg8 4）Rd3
1. Bxf6 followed by 2. Qh5
1. Bxf6 Bxf6
2. Bxh7+! Kxh7
3. Qh5+ Kg8
4. Qxf7+ Kh7
5. Rd3!
1-0
Of course, black can avoid this variation by 2….. Kf8. But still, white is a pawn up.
I find it unlikely that black plays 2. … Kxh7?
I suppose we get:
1. Bxf6 Bxf6
2. Bxh7 Kf8
and white is up with a single pawn, but his knight hangs, and also black threats g6 to make the bishop look stupid.
What is whites best idea here? Is it (as it looks to me) a series of exchanges on d7, grabbing d-file with Rd1, and then gradually move rook and queen into h-file? Or is it something smarter?
Not too hard.
Of course, Bxf6 wins, but why not play a chess brilliancy?
Here, Bxh7+ also works, although this isn’t the standard Greek gift. No knight waiting to spring on g5, but we have here a very well placed knight who already hits f7.
In every embranchment, away from the main line, Black can defend but White have a healthy pawn plus, and that variations occult the main line in an engine’s point of view.
Justification of Bxh7+ sacrifice:
1.Bxh7+ Kxh7 (if 1…Nxh7 2.Bxe7 with a pawn plus)
2.Bxf6 Bxf6 (2…Be8 is best, but White has again a pawn plus)
3.Qh5+ Kg8
4.Qxf7+ Kh7
5.Rd3 The rook lift! Much stronger than Nxd7 who also wins…
Mate is unavoidable without heavy material losses.
Post-scriptum:
Don’t forget that Colle was a brilliant attacking player.
He played another but messay and very complex Bxh7+ sacrifice versus O’Hanlon (see the game here)
Colle was strong enough to beat Euwe in a match in 1924!