White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
St Petersburg tactic
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Be5
1. Be5
black must give up the piece because 1… Bxe5, 2. Qd8 and mate.
aside: candidates round 10: which games will have a result? rank your choices! http://goo.gl/6SQwc
1. Be5!! wins the c7 Bishop 1-0
(1. … Bxe5 2. Qd8+ Ne8 3. Qxe8+ checkmate)
1.Be5 Nxc4
(1…Bxe5 2.Qd8+ Ne8 3.Qxe8#)
2.Bxc7 g5 3.b6 Na5 4.Ba8 h5 5.b7 Nxb7 6.Bxb7
Black’s backrank is weak, only protection against Qd8# is the c7 bishop. So therefore:
1. Be5! Nbd5 (anything better?)
2. Bxc7! (more direct than cxd5 I think) Nxc7 (anything better?)
3. Qd8+ Nce8
4. Bxe8 g6 (Nxe8? Qxe8#)
5. b6! Qb1+
6. Kh2 Nxe8
7. Qxe8+ Kg7
8. Qb5!!
Plenty variations I think, but is there something better for black?
1. Ba1-e5, intending an eventual back rank mate.
–br
1. Be5! wins (threatening 2. Qd8+ and then checkmate). Black has to give up his Bishop to avoid checkmate.