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1. Qf1 Kh4 2. Re4 Kg5 3. Kg7! mate in next. Either Qf6 or f6.
(Could be delayed one move with Rd6, Qf4 or Qa1+)
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1……Qf1+
2.Kh4..Re4+
>A-3.Bg5.Rxg5#
>B-3.Kg5..Kg7!
>>B1-4.Rd7.Rg5#
>>B2-4.Qb2+.f6+.5.Qxf6+.Qxf6#
>C-3.Qf4..Rxf4+.4.Kg5.Kg7.
>>C1-5.Rd7.Rg5#
>>C2-5.gxf4.Qg2+.6.Bg4.Qxg4#
Mate in utmost 6 moves.
Harry
Initially it looked like white king finds a safe place on h6, but I found out it doesn’t.
1. Qf1+ Kh4
2. Re4+ Kg5 (Qf4? Qxf4+! Kh3 Qf1#)
3. Rg4+! Kh6
4. Qf6!
The point. It threats both Qg7# and Qg5#, so Qa1 is of no help here. And it protects Rd8+.
4. … Rd8+ (only delay of Qg7#/Qg5#)
5. Qxd8 Qa3 (only against Qf8#)
6. Qf6 Qf8+ (only delay of Qg7#/Qg5#)
7. Kxf8 b8=Q or any
8. Qg7#
It looks like enforced mate in 8.
The main problem for Black is that there are seemingly many possibilities. Most of the variations aren’t hard but you can get bogged down looking at them and wondering if you’re missing something. Also if you can’t find the solution fairly quickly, you can ask yourself whether you would’ve played for this position in the first place where Black is two pieces down and White is ready to queen a pawn on top of that.
For example, there’s
[A] 1… Qf1+ which is probably the correct move
[B] 1…Re2 with the threat …Qxh2#. However 2.Nf3 appears an adequate answer
[C] 1… Re4 trying to cutoff the King’s flight but simply 2. Rxe1 now prevents the Queen’s check at f1
[D] the idea …g5 again to cut off the King’s flight but it can’t be played immediately of course because of simply Qxg5+
I’ll let someone else fill in most of the variations (or I’ll save it for later) but the key to the win lies in the line:
1… Qf1+
2. Kh4 Re4+
3. Kg5 Kg7 preparing the mate with …f6 but note that if 4. Rd7 pinning the f-pawn Black still has …Qf6# in reserve.
Var. 4. Qb2+ f6# anyway! That’s pretty, interposing the pawn blocks the check and delivers mate simultaneously even though the pawn is “pinned”
Var. 4. Qf4 f6+ anyway
– Craigaroo
1…. Qf1+
2.Kh4 Re4+
3.Kg5 Kg7
4.Qb2+ or Qf4 f6+
5.Qxf6#
1…. Qf1+
2.Kh4 Re4+
3.Kg5 Kg7
4.Qb2+ or Qf4 f6+
5.Qxf6#
Qf1+ Kh4
Re4+ Kg5
Kg2 follows with f6#
oh gosh someone suggested 1…Rxc8 and I started making the same mistake reading the diagram that they must have! Not used to seeing the diagram from Black’s side of the board (which isn’t a bad idea, just that I’m not used to it), I started trying to find out what was wrong with it until I suddenly realized the White pawn can simply recapture with 2.bxc8=Q+
– Craigaroo
pht – looks like 3. Rg4+ is an oversight- 3…Bxg4
– Craigaroo
3. Rg4+ was certainly an oversight.
1…. Qf1+
2.Kh4 Re4+
3.Kg5 Kg7!!
I also missed that this works.
It works because it threats both Qf6# and f6# and there is no defense against both.
Like Qb2+ or Rd7 prevents only one of them, and Rd6 only delays.