White to move. How should White proceed?
Bednarski, Jacek B (2425) – Andersson, Goran (2315) (Eksjo, 1976)
4rbk1/1b1r1p2/p1q1pQpB/1p2P2p/8/1BP1NR2/PP1n2PP/5R1K w – – 0 28
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Nd5 seems to save white by forcing a knight exchange.
Nd5 does not seem to have mating threat, so black can take Nxf4
Nf5, on the other hand, threatens to mate after Bxf8 if black takes Nxf3
Nf5 also protects h6 bishop
I think the answer is Nf5, unless someone comes up with an amazing win for white
Rg3!!
This is a very difficult puzzle!
At first it looks like white has a forced win, but in the end it seems like black has a miracle save (if I haven’t missed something):
1.Bxf8! Rxf8
(1…Kxf8?? loses after
2. Qh8+ Ke7 Rxf7+ Kd8 Qxe8+! and mate)
2.Bxe6! (the point) Qxe6
3.Qxe6 fxe6
4.Rxf8+ Kg7 (here I first thought white wins with pawn and exchange up, but white cannot save both attacked rooks here and has to agree to repetition of moves!)
5. R1f6 Ne4
6. Rf5 g5
Rf1 Nd2 and so on, no way out.If white gives the exchange back to play with his extra pawn, he might even lose after blacks inevitable Rd2.
Nice Puzzle!
The following line clears White from the woods, but doesn’t find a way home.
1. Bxf8 Rxf8
2. Bxe6 Qxe6
3. Qxe6 fxe6
4. Rxf8+ Kg7
5. R(1)f4
I think that 1. Nf5 fails to the simple 1. … exf5. What is White’s follow-up?
1.Nf5 exf5
(1…Nxf3 2.Bxf8)
(1…gxf5 2.Rg3+)
2.e6 Rxe6
(2…fxe6 3.Qxg6+)
3.Bxe6 Qxe6
4.Qxe6 fxe6
5.Rxf8+ Kh7
6.Rf7+ Rxf7
7.Rxf7+ Kxh6
8.RxB7
white is now up by a rook
Anonymous said…
1.Nf5 exf5
(1…Nxf3 2.Bxf8)
(1…gxf5 2.Rg3+)
2.e6 Rxe6
(2…fxe6 3.Qxg6+)
3.Bxe6 Qxe6
4.Qxe6 fxe6
5.Rxf8+ Kh7
6.Rf7+ Rxf7
7.Rxf7+ Kxh6
8.RxB7
white is now up by a rook.
I don’t understand what happened between the 4th and 5th moves. How is 5. Rxf8+ possible?
Yes, that was an error. Black has a pawn at f5.
1.Nf5 exf5
(1…Nxf3 2.Bxf8)
(1…gxf5 2.Rg3+)
2.e6 Rxe6
(2…fxe6 3.Qxg6+)
3.Bxe6 Qxe6
4.Qxe6 fxe6
5.Bxd2
white is still up by a rook
Still not quite right.
1.Nf5 exf5
(1…Nxf3 2.Bxf8)
(1…gxf5 2.Rg3+)
2.e6 Rxe6
(2…fxe6 3.Qxg6+)
3.Bxe6 Qxe6
4.Qxe6 fxe6
5.Bxd2 Bxf3
6.Rxf3
Now we are even.
This is indeed a complicated puzzle.
1. Nf5 e:f5
2. e6 R:e6
3. B:e6 Q:e6
4. Q:e6 f:e6
5. B:d2 B:f3
and the Bd2 hangs, so Black is up a piece
‘Cept for 6. … Rxd2.
Oops. Craig slipped it in before I refreshed the page.
I still think my (long)line with 1.Bxf8
2.Bxe6 is correct, any ideas for white there to avoid the draw in the end?
It may not be so bad for white to hold the draw in a position like this. It may be worthwhile for White to play
1. B:f8 R:f8
2. B:e6 Q:e6
3. Q:e6 f:e
4. R:f8+ Kg7
5. R8f2 N:f1
6. N:f1 and White reorganizes his pieces with Re2, Kg1, etc with a pawn up ending.
I just found the game online. Bednarski started with
1. Bxf8 Rxf8
2. Bxe6
and won after Andersson’s 3. … Nxf3. I’ll leave it to the readers to find the win.