Black to move. Is this a win, draw, or loss for Black? No computer lines, please.
NOTE: It is NOT as easy or simple as you think.
4R3/bP3ppk/7p/P7/5Pn1/2N3Pq/1B2Q2P/7K b – – 0 1
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1. Nf2 – Kg1
2. Ne4 – Kh1
3. Nxg3
— kiokups
1…Bf2 looks promising, threatening 2…Qxh2#, but I do not see an answer to 2. Qe4+ g6 3. Qg2.
So that leaves 1…Nf2+, looking for a draw by repetition. That seems to lose to 2. Qxf2 Bxf2 3. b8=Q, but 3…Qf1 is mate.
I think 1…Nf2+ can lead to a draw by repetition.
Nf2+ looks good as the king is forced to move to g1. or else the queen should be given up .
Nf2+ (looks winning ) is good as the king is forced to move to g1. or else the queen should be given up .
Nf2+ looks good as the king is forced to move to g1 or else the queen should be given up
Looks like 1…Nf2+ wins:
2. Kg1 Ne4+
3. Kh1 Ng3#
or…
2. Qxf2 Bxf2 and …Qf1# cannot be stopped.
1… Nf2+, 2. Qxf2 (2.Kg1?? Ne4+, 3. Kh1 Nxg3 mate) Bxf2, 3. Re1 (only move) Bxe1, 4. Kg1 Bf2+, 5. Kxf2 Qxh2+, 6. Kf1 Qxb2, 7. a6 Qb6 and I am not sure if black King can reach c7, but probable yes. Fide Master G.C. (Uruguay)
I see win.
1…Nf2+ 2. Kg1 Ne4+ 3. Kh1 Nxg3++
1… Nf2+ 2. Qxf2 Bxf2 3. Re1 Bxg3 with mate by either 4… Qxh2 or 4… Qf1
I think actually Nxh2 should win, if Qxh2 Qf1 mates and if anything else Ng4 will mate (Qe4-d3-c2+ are all met by f5).
perpetual by Nf2#
what about nf2+, then ne4+ then nxg3+ winning the queen?
1… Nf2+
2. Kg1 Ne4+
3. Kh1 Nxg3+ winning the Queen.
the Bf2 line looks good initially, but is met by Ke4+ then Qg2
1… Nxh2 2.Qxh2 Qf8+
The obvious line is
1…Nf2+ 2.Kg1 Ne4+ 3.Kh1 Nxg3 mate
But apparently it is not that simple, so white has to play 2.Qxf2 Bxf2. Hmm. Black threatens Qf1 mate. Re1 loses after Bxg3 so presumable white must play 3.Rh8+ Kg6 4.f5+ Kh5 5.Rxh6+ Kxh6 and I cannot see that white has any more shots.
I probably missed something, but what?
1 .. Nf2+
2 Kg1 Ne4+ (preventing Re3)
3 Kh1 Nxg3+
0-1
I tried 1 … Nf2+. Then 2 Qxf2 is forced, since 2 Kg1 is met by 2 … Ne4+ 3 Kh1 (Queen interpositions don’t help) Ng3#.
So 2 Qxf2 Bxf2. Material is sorta even, but White has a problem defending against the threatened 3 … Qf1#. 3 Ne2 fails of course, to 3 … Qf1+ 4 Ng1 Qxg1#. 3 Re1 Bxe1 4 Ne2 Qf1+ 5 Ng1 Bf2 is just staving off the inevitable.
White’s best try seems to be 3 Rh8+, when 3 … Kxh8 4 b8=Q+ Kh7 5 Qb5 looks winning for White. However, after 3 … Kh7, White’s only checks are 4 Rxh6+ and 4 f5+, which can be met by 4 … gxh6 and 4 … Kf5 5 g4+ Kxg4, both with mate in two to follow.
1…., Nf2+;
2.Kg1, Ne4+;
3.Kh1, Nxg3 mate
I am not sure. Maybe I am thinking to easy, too?
1. -, Nf2+ looks strong.
If 2. Kg1?, Ne4+ and mate on g3 follows soon so 2. Qxf2 is forced. 2. -, Bxf2. How can white avoid Qf1#?
3. Rh8+?, Kg6! -+.
So better is 3. Re1!
3. -, Bxe1? 4. Kg1!, Bf2+ (what else to avoid the pawn promotion?) 5. Kxf2, Qxh2+ 6. Kf1! (the knight must not fall with check later), Qxb2 7. a7! should be draw.
But black seems to win simply with 3. -, Bxg3! and I cannot see how white should protect h2.
Have I overseen anything?
Jochen
1)…Nf2+ 2)Kg1 Ne4+ 3)Kh1 Nxg3#
So white has to give away his queen:
2)Qxf2 Bxf2 3)Re1! Bxe1 4)Kg1 Bf2+ 5)Kxf2 Qxh2+ 6)Kf1! (Kf3,Ke3 and Ke1 lose the knight with check) Qxb2 7)a6 Qb6+ and black should win somehow.
Another line goes 6)…Qh1+ 7)Kf2 Qxb7 and black again should win.
the cleanest line is:
1 … Nf2+
2 Kg1
black draws through repetition, with:
2 … Ng4 disc. check
3 Kh1 Nf2+
4 Kg1
etc
or:
2 … Ne4 disc. check
3 Kh1 Ng3#
to avoid that white must play:
2 Qxf2 Bxf2
now black is threatening mate with Qf1. so white has to jettison his rook:
3 Re1 Bxe1
which allows the white king safe haven on:
4 Kg1
black is about to lose after b8=Q, so:
4 … Bxg3
this threatens mate with … Qxh2+ 2 Kf1 Qf2#, so:
5 hg3 Qg3+
6 Kf1 Qf4+
7 Kg1
and now black must find a way to fork the king and the b7 pawn, preferably with the magic move … Qxb2+
capturing the b2 bishop alone does not guarantee a win as a6 holds the b7 pawn
i haven’t even begun to look at that yet
——————————-
——————————-
there is another exhaustive line starting with:
1 … Nxh2
with black threatening mate in one, but white has gobs of resources —
starting with Qe4+, forcing g6
then the rook sac on h8
which opens black up to nasty discovered checks by the b2 bishop
which in turn brings the knight into play with endless threats — not to mention a timely b8=Q…
i guess i’ll look at that line (1 … Nxh2) next
1..Nf2+ 2.Qxf2 Bxf2 3.Rh8+ Kg6 should win
…Nxh2,2Qg2(..Ng4,3QxQ Nf2,4Kg2)…
Qh5 maybe drawn. 2..Qd7 seems like white wins.
..Nf2 seems better, 2Kg1 Ne4 leads to quik mate. 2QxN BxQ,(3Rh8 Kg6)3Re1
Bxg3 or 3Ne2 Qf1
1…Nh2 doesn’t win, as
2 Qe4+
3 g6 Rh8+
4 Kh8 Nd5+
5 Kh7 Nf6+
6 Kg7 Nd7+ with at least a draw
Winning line seems to be:
1 Nf2+
2 Qxf2
if Kg1,Ne4+,Kh1,Nxg3+ wins
2 Bxf2
3 Re1
Otherwise Qf1 mate. White needs to try to buy time to queen the b pawn.
3 Bxe1
4 Kg1 Bxg3
5 hxg3 Qxg3+
and a fork will pick off the b pawn.
from my previous comment:
the cleanest line is:
1 … Nf2+
2 Kg1
black draws through repetition, with:
2 … Ng4 disc. check
3 Kh1 Nf2+
4 Kg1
etc
or:
2 … Ne4 disc. check
3 Kh1 Ng3#
to avoid that white must play:
2 Qxf2 Bxf2
now black is threatening mate with Qf1. so white has to jettison his rook:
3 Re1 Bxe1
instead of 3 … Bxe1
3 … Bxg3
now black is threatening mate on h2 (hg3 can’t be played), so:
4 Re2 Qf1#
or
4 Kg1 Qh2+
5 Kf1 Qf2#
i think that’s it
…Nf2+ Kb1 Ne4+!! Kb1 Nxg3# .if Qxf2 Bxf2 Re1 Bxg3 Re2 Qf1#
…Nf2+ Kb1 Ne4+!! Kb1 Nxg3# .if Qxf2 Bxf2 Re1 Bxg3 Re2 Qf1#
…Nxh2,2Qg2(..Ng4,3QxQ Nf2,4Kg2)…
Qh5 maybe drawn. 2..Qd7 seems like white wins.
..Nf2 seems better, 2Kg1 Ne4 leads to quik mate. 2QxN BxQ,(3Rh8 Kg6)3Re1
Bxg3 or 3Ne2 Qf1
All I see is perpetual with Nf2+
1…Bf2 loses to 2.Qxf2 Nxf2+ 3.Kg1 Ng4 4.Re2 and the White g-pawn Queens
1…Nxh2 loses to 1…Nxh2 2.Rh8+ Kg6 (Kxh8 3.b8=Q+ Bxb8 4.Qxh2 and White is a piece up but Black has perpetual)3.f5+ Kxf5 4.Qe4+ Kg5 5.Bc1+ Kf6 6.Nd5 mate
“I think actually Nxh2 should win, if Qxh2 Qf1 mates and if anything else Ng4 will mate (Qe4-d3-c2+ are all met by f5).”
What about Qg2?
I liked Qxh2 but what happens after Qg2?
Nxh2 can be met with Qg2.
Better, I think, is
1… Nf2+ 2.Kg1 Ne4+ 3.Kh1 Ng3+