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whit should play 1. a5
Nice puzzle Susan.
I enjoy them better before the answer is posted.
i dont understand why everyone worries about the answer being posted. IF you simply do not click on post a comment until you have solved the position for yourself, then it should not be a problem…. right? this reminds me of the temptation to look at an opening book while playing on an internet chess server. you should not look at the book until after you play the game.
1.a5 threats 2.axb6+ Kxb6 3.Ra6+ (or 3.Rb1+ Bb4 4.Ra6+ Kxa6 [4…Kc5 5.Rc6#] 5.Qc6+ Ka5 6.Qb5#) Kxa6 4.Qc6+ Bb6 5.Ra1+ Qa5 6.Rxa5 Kxa5 7.Qb5#.
1.a5 bxa5 2.Qc6+ Bb6 3.Rda1 threats 4.Rxa5 Qxa5 5.Rxa5 Kxa5 6.Qb5#. Black is helpless.
1.a5 Rb8 2.Qc6, 1.a5 Qb3 2.Rda1 or 1.a5 b5 2.Qc6+ Bb6 3.cxb5# are not better for black.
@myself
Of course not 1.a5 … 2.axb6+ Kxb6 3.Ra6+ but 3.Rdb1+ followed by 4.Ra6+
a5 b5
cxb5+ Kb5
Qa4+ Ka6
Qa6+
I think this would be the main line
a5 b5
cxb5+ Kxb5
Qa4+ Ka6
Qc6+ and wins, I think this is the main line
Nice puzzle.
🙂 @kamargov – i don’t think so…
1.a5! b5?
2.qc6+ bb6
3.cxb5# 🙂
the lines given by this anonymous 4.06 one are correct…
a better, but still insufficiant answer on 1.a5!, and not mentioned yet, should be
1…qb3
2.rda1 rxg4
3.axb6+ qxa2
4.rxa2+ kb6
5.rb2+ ka5
6.rb5+ ka4
7.qc2+ ka3
8.qb2#
black is lost anyway … after 1.a5 …
1. a5 Ba3 2. Dc6 with next 3.Qb5+ Kb7 4.a6+ Kc8 5.Qc6 +-
1. a5 Ba3 2. Qc6 is met by Qb3.
How about this line? It works
against my computer.
1.a5 Ba3 2.axb6 Qg3 3.bxc7 Qg2+
4.Rxg2 hxg2+ 5.Kxg2 Rh2+
6.Kg3 R2h3+ 7.Kf4 Rf8+ 8.Ke5 Bb2+
9.Kxe6 Re8+ 10.Kd7 Rxe4 11. c8Q+
and wins the rook at e4 in a few queen checks.
I don’t know if this is best,
there are so many lines in this
position.