And there is no way to guard against Qh2# since Nf1 is still mate with Qxf1, so black should have a clean win of a piece, and with the ancillary threats of Bb7 and Bd5, there may be a mate in there too.
The loose knight on ‘f1’ is black’s trump card. I started looking a nice variation and got lost.
1…….. Bb7! ( threatening Bxd5 ) 2. Ra1 ( to defend the ‘f1’ knight ) 2……… Rxd5! 3. Nxd5 Bxd5+ 4. f3! Nxf3! ( threatening a discovered check) 5. Qg2! ( blocking the diagonal ) 5…….. Ne1!! 0 – 1
Leaving all of his pieces en prise, but still managing to win. But obviously white has too many variations. I was looking for something much more forcing, and then I saw what I missed.
1……. Rxe3! 2. fxe3 Nf3 ( mate on h2 is unavoidable ) If white tries to win the hanging f3 knight with… 3. Nf5+ Bxf5 4. Qc3+ Kh6 5. Qxf3 it is still mate Qf1# 0 – 1
1…. Rxe3 2 Ra1 (2fxe3 Qxf1#) (2Nxe3 Nf3 3Nf1 only move to save mate at h2 3… Qxf1#) 2… Bf5 breaks of all resistances. saving the Q allows 3… Bd4+ and mate follows. 3 Nxe3 BxQc2 4Nxc2 Nf3 mate follows.
Oops. My 7 move line ending with Qg2# was 3 moves too long because I spotted a black knight on e3 that wasn’t there. Not changing my conclusion however. The best I see is winning quality+pawn.
I suggest 1. … Bf5 This threatens Rxe3, winning a piece, and Be4+. A: 2. Qe2 does not help. 2. … Be4+ 3. f3 3. Kg1 Nf3+ 4. Kh1 Nd4+ winning the queen. 3. … Bxf3 and again the queen is gone. B: 2. Qc1 Be4+ 3. Kg1 Nf3+ 4. Kh1 Rxe3 5. Qxe3/Nxe3/fxe3 Ne1+/Qxh2#/Ne1+ and mate next move.
Please forget my last posting. Much better is: 1 … Rxe3! 2. Ra1
2.fxe3 is followed by Qxf1#.
2.Nxe3 Nf3! 3.Ng4/Nf1 Qxf1#
2.Qd1 Bg4 3.f3 Bxf3+ 4.Qxf3 Rxf3 and mate soon
2.Qc1 Re2 3.Rxc8 Rxf2 and mate on g2 or h2
2. … Bf5 3. Qd2 Be4+ 4. f3 Rxf3 and White is lost. Rxf1# and Rxg3# cannot both be helped about. 3. Nxe3 Bxc2 and the bishop cannot be taken because of Nf3 followed by Qxh2#. Black wins easily.
Guys, it is the black knight you need to notice along with the fact that the two white knights protect each other. To put it simply, the white knights are overloaded, and only one need topple to bring the house down on white’s head.
Rxe3
1. …Re3 should win:
1. …..Re3
2. Ne3 Nf3
And there is no way to guard against Qh2# since Nf1 is still mate with Qxf1, so black should have a clean win of a piece, and with the ancillary threats of Bb7 and Bd5, there may be a mate in there too.
1. … Bg4
2. (a) Nxg4 Qxf1#
2. (b) Ra1 or Qb1 Bf3+
3. Kg1 Rxe3
Mate next move
Mark
1. … Bg4
2. (a) Nxg4 Qxf1#
2. (b) Ra1 or Qb1 Bf3+
3. Kg1 Rxe3
Mate next move
Mark
1. … Bg4 wins imo.
The loose knight on ‘f1’ is black’s trump card. I started looking a nice variation and got lost.
1…….. Bb7!
( threatening Bxd5 )
2. Ra1
( to defend the ‘f1’ knight )
2……… Rxd5!
3. Nxd5 Bxd5+
4. f3! Nxf3!
( threatening a discovered check)
5. Qg2!
( blocking the diagonal )
5…….. Ne1!!
0 – 1
Leaving all of his pieces en prise, but still managing to win. But obviously white has too many variations. I was looking for something much more forcing, and then I saw what I missed.
1……. Rxe3!
2. fxe3 Nf3
( mate on h2 is unavoidable )
If white tries to win the hanging f3 knight with…
3. Nf5+ Bxf5
4. Qc3+ Kh6
5. Qxf3 it is still mate Qf1#
0 – 1
1.Ra8 Rxe3 (taking the rook loses 1. .., fxe3 2. Qxf1# and 1. .., Nxe3 2. Nf3 and the mate cannot be prevented)
2.Ra1 Rf3 (the rook has to save itself)
3.Qe2 (to stop Ba6) Bb7
4.Kg1 Bxd5
5.Rd1 Bc4
6.Qe4 Bxf1
7.Rxf1 Ng4
8.Qxg4 Qxg4
Black can win easily from here
1…. Rxe3
2 Ra1
(2fxe3 Qxf1#)
(2Nxe3 Nf3 3Nf1 only move to save mate at h2 3… Qxf1#)
2… Bf5 breaks of all resistances.
saving the Q allows 3… Bd4+ and mate follows.
3 Nxe3 BxQc2
4Nxc2 Nf3 mate follows.
Really interesting puzzle!
A couple of players have suggested 1 … Bg4
This seems to win two pawns after
2. f3 Bxf3+
3. Kg1 Bxd5
Another interesting idea is
1. … Bb7
2. Ra1 (only defence) Rxd5!
3. Qe4 (alternative below) Rd1
4. Qxb7 Rxa1
5. Qg2
winning quality+pawn
or
3. Nxd5? Bxd5+
4. Kg1 Nf3+
5. Kh1 Ne1/Nh4+
6. Qe4 Bxe4+
7. Kg1 Qg2#
May have overlooked something.
I prefer 1 … Bb7, but have not managed to point out what is wrong with 1 … Bg4 winning two pawns…
1. … bg4
what after
2. f3 ?
Oops.
My 7 move line ending with Qg2# was 3 moves too long because I spotted a black knight on e3 that wasn’t there.
Not changing my conclusion however.
The best I see is winning quality+pawn.
But that is good enough for a win!
I suggest
1. … Bf5
This threatens Rxe3, winning a piece, and Be4+.
A: 2. Qe2 does not help.
2. … Be4+
3. f3
3. Kg1 Nf3+
4. Kh1 Nd4+ winning the queen.
3. … Bxf3 and again the queen is gone.
B: 2. Qc1 Be4+
3. Kg1 Nf3+
4. Kh1 Rxe3
5. Qxe3/Nxe3/fxe3 Ne1+/Qxh2#/Ne1+ and mate next move.
Please forget my last posting. Much better is:
1 … Rxe3!
2. Ra1
2.fxe3 is followed by Qxf1#.
2.Nxe3 Nf3!
3.Ng4/Nf1 Qxf1#
2.Qd1 Bg4
3.f3 Bxf3+
4.Qxf3 Rxf3 and mate soon
2.Qc1 Re2
3.Rxc8 Rxf2 and mate on g2 or h2
2. … Bf5
3. Qd2 Be4+
4. f3 Rxf3 and White is lost. Rxf1# and Rxg3# cannot both be helped about.
3. Nxe3 Bxc2 and the bishop cannot be taken because of Nf3 followed by Qxh2#. Black wins easily.
1. … Rxe3
A
2. Nxe3 Nf3
3. Nf1 Qxf1 ++
B
2. fxe3 Qxf1 ++
I was looking at Rxe3. There is an impending mate at Qxf1. And if knight moves Nf3 with mate at Qxh2.
1. … Rxe3
2. Qc1,Ra1,Qd1 Re2 (fxe3 Qxf1#)
Re2 with Rxe2 followed by Qg2#
I cannot get a line through but Bf5 or Bg4 means Black advantage
Looks like 1.-Rxe3 to me, or am I blind?
2.Nxe3 Nf3 3. Nf1 Qxf1#
2.-fxe3 Qf1#
Rxe3 wins very easy…. thas the first move…
Guys, it is the black knight you need to notice along with the fact that the two white knights protect each other. To put it simply, the white knights are overloaded, and only one need topple to bring the house down on white’s head.