White to move. What is the best continuation for White?
r3r3/1pq2pk1/p2b2pp/4p3/5nbP/P1P1QNB1/BP3PP1/3RR1K1 w – – 0 1
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The simple:
1. Bxf4 exf4
2. Qd4+!
seems to grab the bishop.
2. … Be5
3. Nxe5
2. … Kh7
3. Qxd6
Oops, my first post was a bit too hasty. Black of course has speculations about Bxd1. But I still believe Bxf4 is good:
1. Bxf4 exf4
2. Qd4+ Be5(!) (If black allows Qxd6, he has no time to speculate on Bxd1 because his queen hangs, so he is just down with a piece)
3. Nxe5 Bxd1 (Rxe5? Rxe5 is not playable due to discovered check with rook)
4. Nxf7+! Kh7
5. Qxd1
is up with B+N+p for R.
Been a while.
1. Bxf4 exf4
2. Qd4+ f6
3. Rxe8 Rxe8
4. Qxd6 Qxd6
5. Rxd6
leaves white one minor piece up. The b2 pawn is likely toast after 5… Re2, though.
Since no comments on website yet
(14.49 BST) and been looking at this all morning (on and off) and being a bit stumped…however…all I’ve got is
1.Bxf4 exf4
2.Qd4+ Kh7
3.Rxe8 Rxe8
4.Qxd6 winning a piece.
0-0-0
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Well, Bf4 seems pretty obvious, though one needs to consider carefully the second move:
1. Bf4 ef4 (alternatives later)
2. Qd4
There are a lot situations (probably most) where two rooks for a queen is a bad trade, so 2.Qxe8 is something to be considered, however, here, I don’t think it would win for white, though it probably isn’t losing either. 2.Qd4 is much stronger for white, initiating a double attack on d6, along with the check. Continuing:
2. …..f6
I don’t see a better move. On either Kh7 or Kg8, white still takes at d6 and has latent threats on both g6 and f7 depending on where the king went, and whether or not black retakes at d6 immediately. Black is going to lose a piece no matter what, but with f6, I think he has time to get the a8 rook into action. Continuing:
3. Qd6
White can also capture at e8 first, as far as I can see, but I see no reason to let black control the e-file by default. Continuing:
3. …..Re1 (anything better?)
4. Ne1 Rc8
5. Qc7 Rc7
6. Rd6
And white is up a full knight.
Back at the first move, I don’t think black had a better defense than just taking at e4 since white can always capture at h6. The most interesting alternative for black to my eye is to play 1. …f6:
1. Bf4 f6 (to protect e5)
2. Bh6 Kh7 (to attack Bh6)
So, now, black is threatening a move like e4, but I think white since h6 is protected indirectly by a threatened Qd2+ giving the killing double attack on d6 once again:
3. Qe2 Kh6 (Bf3 4.gf3 Kh6 5.Qd2)
4. Qd2 Kg7
5. Qd6 Qe7
6. Qe7 Re7
And maybe this is better for black by having more material on board for complications, but he is still down a piece, but now also a pawn (though he can double the pawns on the f-file for white).