White to move. Can white win this?
Kosek, 1912
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White to move. Can white win this?
Kosek, 1912
It looks that way to me, he can force the king off the square and get a queen – then it is on to checkmate.
Ne4 Bh4
Ke6 Bg3
Kd6 Kf7
Nf6 and the little bugger queens
I think we saw this some time ago, didn’t we?
White’s basic idea is to check from d6 or f6 and then to queen his pawn. Threrfore, the bishop must be forced to give up control over e8:
1. Ne4 Bh5 forced – must control e8
2. Ke6 Bg4+ again forced. White threatens mate by Nd6 or Nf6, so the king must be kicked away from e6.
2. … Bf7+ does not help either, because after
3. Kd6 the bishop must move and allow Nf6+ with check.
3. Kd6 Kf7 Now the bishop has now way to reach the diagonal a2-e8. After
4. Nf6 there is no way to stop the pawn from queening.
Yes can Win
Ne4
If Bh5
Ke6 threatening mate with knight Bg4+ forced
Kd6 any move Nf6 and e8Q is Forced
Instead of Bh5 Kd7
then Nc5 followed by Ne6 and then to Ng7 forcing the e8Q
Yes can Win
Ne4
If Bh5
Ke6 threatening mate with knight Bg4+ forced
Kd6 any move Nf6 and e8Q is Forced
Instead of Bh5 Kd7
then Nc5 followed by Ne6 and then to Ng7 forcing the e8Q
1. Ne4 Ba4
2. Nd6+ Kd7
3. e8=Q+
White not only exchanges his knight for the bishop but wins the game shortly thereafter.
However if the bishop defense from the other side:
1. He4 Bg5
2. Ke6! Black king cannot escape and bishop cannot defend both checkmate squares 3. Nd6# or 3. Nf6#
News in Michigan
Didn’t we see this recently
1. Ne4, Bh5
2. Ke6 (threatening mate with the knight), Bg4+
3. Kd6, Kf7 (preventing Nf6+ and the subsequent queening of the pawn)
4. Nf6