White to move. How can White save this game?
R7/2r2p1k/4p3/4Pn2/4Q2P/pp6/2r1qNRK/8 w – – 0 1
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1. Rg7+!
Brilliant! Qb4 then Qf8 1-0. Nice.
1. Rg7+, Kxg7 (otherwise on Kh6, Qf4+ leads to similar things), 2. Qg2+, Kh7, 3. Qg8+, Kh6, 4. Qh8+, Kg6, 5. Rg8+, Ng7, 6. Qxg7+, Kf5, 7. Qg5#
Rh8+ and draws.
1. … Rf8+ is a forced draw.
Attraction sacrifice is the key there, in order to let the Queen play her role in a mating pattern.
1.Rg7+!!
If 1…Kxg7 then 2.Qg2+ Kh7 3.Qg8+ Kh6 4.Qh8+ Kg6 5. Rg8+ Ng7 6.Qxg7+ Kf5 7.Qg5#
If 1…Kh6 then 2. Qf4+ Kxg7 3.Qg5+ Kh7 4.Qg8+ Kh6 5.Qh8+ Kg6 6. Rg8+ Ng7 7.Qxg7+ Kf5 8.Qg5#
1. Rg7 sacrificing the rook and allowing the queen to enter checking on rg2 on the next move.
1. Rg7+ Kxg7
2. Qg2+ etc. (g5-g8)
Rg7 cooks the goose, fries the fish, finishes the Finn,…breaks the band,
Another rook sacrifice…White moves Rg7+, Qg2+, from there white can mate black 3 or 4 moves more.
One might expect that white needs find a way for the queen to get at the black king. With this in mind, I might look Rg7 first so that I can force the black king to either g7 or h6 so that I can check with the queen from g2 or f4, or check with the other rook from h8:
1. Rg7 Kg7
2. Qg2
And, now, I don’t think mate can be stopped, only delayed with moves like Ng3 and Qg4. Continuing:
2. …..Ng3
3. Qg3 Qg4
4. Qg4 Kh7 (Kh6 5.Rh8#)
5. Qh5 Kg7
6. Qh8 Kg6
7. Qf6 Kh5/h7
8. Rh8#
It doesn’t matter if black delays with either/or Qg4 or Ng3, or not at moves 2 and 3 as the knight at f5 is no help:
2. …..Kh7 (Kh6 3.Rh8#)
3. Qg8 Kh6
4. Qh8 Kg6
5. Qf6 Kh7 (Kh5 6.Qg5#)
6. Rh8#
Finally, at move 1, black is still mated if he declines the rook:
1. Rg7 Kh6
2. Qf4 Kg7 (or mate on next move)
3. Qg5 Kh7
4. Qg8 and we have already seen above that this is mate.
Attraction sacrifice is the key there, in order to let the Queen play her role in a mating pattern.
1.Rg7+!!
If 1…Kxg7 then 2.Qg2+ Kh7 3.Qg8+ Kh6 4.Qh8+ Kg6 5. Rg8+ Ng7 6.Qxg7+ Kf5 7.Qg5#
If 1…Kh6 then 2. Qf4+ Kxg7 3.Qg5+ Kh7 4.Qg8+ Kh6 5.Qh8+ Kg6 6. Rg8+ Ng7 7.Qxg7+ Kf5 8.Qg5#
To the anonymous commenter at 12:30 PM,
The immediate problem with Qb4 is that black takes at e5 with check, and I am pretty sure is is a mating net to boot:
1. Qb4?? Qe5+
2. Kh3 R2c3
and it is over. White does no better with either Kh1 or Kg1 at move 2:
2. Kh1 Rc1
3. Rg1 Rg1 (simplest)
4. Kg1 Rc1
And there is no answer to Qg3#. The longest delay is
5. Nd1 Rd1
6. Kf2 Qe3
7. Kg3 Qg3#
And, lastly:
2. Kg1 Rc1
3. Nd1 Rd1
4. Qe1 Re1
5. Kf2 Qe3#
Darryl,
Rh8 check just loses. I haven’t worked out a mating line, but I don’t see anything for white after your suggestion:
1. Rh8 Kh8
And now what? Qa8 is completely answered by Rc8
1.Rh8+! Kxh8
2.Qa8+ Kh7
3.Qg8+ Kh6
4.Qg5+ Kh7
=
1Rg7+!! wins. Another clearance sacrifice.
But this plan is….false!
(because black has Rc8 and 0-1)
The correct plan is the above:
1.Rg7+!! Kxg7
2.Qg2+ Ng3
3.Qxg3+ Qg4
4.Qxg4+ Kh7
5.Qg8+ Kh6
6.Qh8+ Kg6
7.Rg8+ Kf5
8.Qf6# 1-0 !
Sacrifice to draw the Black king out into the open and subject to another check while at the same time freeing up a square on the g file for the White queen to join the attack. Obvious, but cute. 🙂
1. Rg7+ Kxg7
Or 1. … Kh6; 2. Qf4+ and 2. … Kh5; 3. Qg5 mate or 2. … Kxg7; 3. Qg5+ will transpose to the main line.
2. Qg2+ Kh7
Black can only delay the mate for an additional two moves by 2. … Ng3; 3. Qxg3+ Qg4; 4. Qxg4+, while 2. …Kh6; 3. Rh8 mate.
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qh8+ Kg6
5. Rg8+ Ng7
6. Qxg7+ Kf5/Kh5
7. Qg5 mate
Rg7+ seems to win.
1. Rg7+ KxR
2. Qg2+ Kh7
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qh8+ Kg6
5. Rg8+ Ng7 (forced)
6. Rg7+ … etc. wins?
1. … Kh6
2. Qf4+ etc.
no time to calculate all possibilities
I think:
1. Rg7+! Kxg7
2. Qg2+! Kh7
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qg5+ Draw
1. Rg7+ Kg7
2. Qg2+ Ng3
3. Qg3+ Qg4
4. Qg4+ Kh7
5. Qg8+ Kh6
6. Qh8+ Kg6
7. Rg8+ Kf5
8. Qf6#
I think I have found a improvement on my Draw line:
I think:
1. Rg7+! Kxg7
2. Qg2+! Kh7
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qh8+!(Qg5+ is Draw) Kg6
5. Rg8+ Ng7
6. Qxg7+ Kf5
7. Qf6#
Can anyone see a defence to this line which I have missed?
1.Rg7+ Kxg7
2.Qg2+ if 2…Kh6 then 3.Rh8#
if 2…Kh7 then
3.Qg8+ Kh6
4.Qh8+ Kg6
5.Rg8 # mate.
1.Rg7+ Kxg7
2.Qg2+ if 2…Kh6 then 3.Rh8#
if 2…Kh7 then
3.Qg8+ Kh6
4.Qh8+ Kg6
5.Rg8+ Ng7
6.Qxg7+ followed by Qf6#
I think: wrote…
1. Rg7+! Kxg7
2. Qg2+! Kh7
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qg5+ Draw
but how about at move 4,
4.Qh8+, Qf6+ and Rh8 mate
han
1. Rg7+!! and mate follows…
if
1… Kxg7
2. Qg2+
if 2… Kh7
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qh8+ Kg6
5. Qf6+! Kh7
6. Rh8#
if 2… Kh6
3. Qg5+! Kh7
and we are back to the previous variant.
if 1… Kh6
2. Qf4+
and we are either back to the second variant with 2… Kxh7 3. Qg5+ or if 2… Kh5 3. Qg5#
1. Rg7+
1. … Kxg7
2. Qg2+ Kh7 (2. … Kh6 3. Rh8#)
3. Qg8+ Kh6
4. Qh8+ Kg6
5. Rg8+ Ng7
6. Qxg7+ Kf5 (or Kh5)
7. Qg5#
1. … Kh6
2. Qf4+ Kxg7 (2. … Kh5 3. Qg5#)
3. Qg5+ Kh7
4. Qg8+ and see above.
@Giorgos: after 2. Qa8+ black has Rc8 and white is lost. Correct is of course 1. Rg7+ 2. Qg2+ etc.