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1.Qd4! is a very elegant move if 1…Qxd4 2.Bxg6 mate so 1….Rf8 and why not 2.Qe5+! Qxe5 for instance 3.Bxg6+ Rf7 4.Bxf7+ Kxf7 5.Rxd7 + Ke6 6.Re7+ 1-0
Bb2
1. Bxg6+ Qxg6
2. Rxd7 Rxd7
3. Rxd7 Kxd7
4. Qd4+ Ke6
5. Qxh8
1-0
Qd4
I looked at ways to get at the d8 rook; Bxg6+ pulls the Queen away, then you just need to pull the Bishop out, but the Black Queen just covers too many squares for that to work.
Black has the simple threat gxh5 so White needs to either retreat the Bishop or come up with something clever.
Honestly I think retreating the Bishop leaves White with a nice (probably winning) position but this is a tactic so let’s see if there’s something a little more demonstrative.
If that Queen wasn’t covering g6 then 1. Bxg6 would be mate. Is there a way to pull the Queen away?
How about 1. Rd6? That attacks the Queen; the Rook is defended so Black can’t simply take; it puts another attack on g6; and if the Queen runs the threat of Re6+ is strong. Let’s see if Black can escape:
1. Rd6 and Black doesn’t hurt anything by swapping the c7 pawn for the d1 Rook:
1. … cxd6
2. Rxd6 and now the back rank is free for
3. … Qa1+
4. Kf2
The Black queen is probably better on a1; Black should resist
4. … Qe1+
5. Kf3 and the checks have run out.
Is White winning here? A rook sac needs to be decisive. White’s threats of 6. Bxg6+ and
6. Re6+ Kf7(6. … Bxe6 7. Qxe6#)
7. Re7+ and 8. Qf7#
appear to be unstoppable.
Due to black’s rather weak king there appear to be a bunch of options. A rook on d8 or a check on the e-file would spell doom. At first I was looking at ways to work on c6 and maybe that can work after the slow Bf3 and then taking to open the d-file.
But I think Bb2 might work better.
If Qxb2 Bxg6+ Kf8 Qf7#
But if the queen can’t take it now becomes clear that it also can’t easily guard against the mate or go anywhere
Qf7 seems to offer the only resistance.
Bb2 Qf7 Qxf7+ Kf7 Rxd7+ Rxd7 Rxd7+ now what?
Kg8 Rg7#
Ke8 Kxg6+ Kxe7 Bxf5+ Kd6 and Bxh8 white has an extra bishop and three pawns.
1.Qd4 since 1…Q:d4 allows 2. B:g6#. 1…Qf7 2. Q:h8+ also mates next move.
Bb2 version.
From Spain…
1)Qd4,Rf8
2)Bf8,Qd4
3)Bg6+,Kf8
4)Rd4 +-
1)Qd4,Qd4
2)Bg6++
Greetings from Spain
How about Bb2?
Wins the queen or at least the exchange if not more.
Bb2 Qb2 Bg6 and Qf7#
B-b2
1. Qd4! looks really good.
After 1…. Rf8 forced
(No other option is good,
considering the hanging queen,
hanging rook, and the Bxg6
mate threat)
2. Bxf8 wins an exchange.
To those who suggest 1. Qd4, what is the response to 1. … Kf7?
OK, I’m convinced by Bb2.
I tried 1 Bxg6+ Qxg6 2 Qd4, and I don’t see a way out for Black.
–gb
Wow! This is a really cool position from an actual game, no less. It took a long time to work this out.
White wins with:
1. Bb2
Black has 3 defenses: 1…. Qxb2, Qf7, and Qe6.
1…. Qxb2?
2. Bxg6+ and mate next move
1…. Qf7
2. Rxd7 after which Black has 2…. Qxc4 and Rxd7
2…. Qxc4
3. Bxg6+ Kf8
4. Rxd8+ Ke7
5. R1d7+ Ke6
6. Bf7# (beautiful!)
2…. Rxd7
3. Qxc6
Now Black has 3…. Qh7, Qe7, and gxh5
3…. Qh7
Now both 4. Bxg6+ and 4. Rxd7 win. 4. Rxd7 looks a stronger.
4. Rxd7 Qxd7
5. Bg6+ (… Ke7 6. Qf6#) Kd8
6. Bf6+ Qe7
7. Bxf5 Bb4
8. Qd7# (pretty! or Qa8#)
3…. Qe7
4. Bg6+ (… Kd8? 5. Qa8#) Kf8
5. Qxd7 and now either 5…. Qxd7 or Qxe3+
5…. Qxd7
6. Rxd7 and there is no way for Black to save the rook or not be mated shortly. White threatens 7. Bf6 c5 8. Re7 followed by
9. Re8#.
6…. Rg8
7. Ba3+ and after a couple of interposes is mate.
or
6…. Bb4 (so as to interpose on f8, if the White rook checks on e8)
7. Bf6 Kg8
8. Rg7+ Kf8
9. Rxc7 Kg8
10. Rg7+ Kf8
11. Rb7 Bd6
12. Rd7 Bc7
13. Rxc7 followed by 14. Rc8#
5…. Qxe3+
6. Kh1 and there is no way to defend against the threatened Qf7# except for the desperado
6…. Rxh2+
7. Kxh2 Qxf4+
8. g3 and now either:
8…. Qf2+
9. Kh3 or
8…. Qh6+
9. Kg2 Qxg6
10. Qd8+ followed by mate in a few moves after either 10…. Qe8 or Kf7
We have looked at 1…. Qxb2 and Qf7, and now finally will look at 1…. Qe6, which is probably the “mainline”.
1…. Qe6
2. Rd7
And now if 2…. Qxc4, White plays 3. Bg6+, the continuation for which was given above.
2…. Qe3+
3. Kh1 Rxd7
4. Qxc6
and then Black can try 4…. Rhh7, Qe7 or Qe2 (or even Kf8
hoping for 5. Rxd7???? Qe1#, when White will play 5. Qf6+ instead.
4…. Rhh7
5. Bxg6+
and 5…. Rhf7 6. Qxd7+ Kf8 7.Qxf7#
or 5…. Kd8 6. Bf6+ Kc8 7. Qa8#
or 5…. Kf8 6. Qa8+ Rd8 7. Qxd8+ Qe8 8. Qxe8#
4…. Qe7
5. Bxg6+ Kf8
6. Qxd7 Qxd7
7. Rxd7 where we have the same mating net with these pieces shown previously.
and finally:
4…. Qe2 (with desperation threat of Qxd1#, always worth a try, and who knows, White might even play Rxd7????? here)
5. Qxd7+ Kf8
6. Qg7+ Ke8
7. Bxg6#
And I suppose it is fitting to end on this variation, since the White bishop has just been dying to play this move with mate the whole time.
Lucymarie
Bb2