A refresher? Has this puzzle been up before? In any case, white would like to take at h7 but cannot since black has h7 triply protected with further defense possible with Nf6 and Rf7 if white tries a fourth attacker with Bf5, for example:
1. Bf5 Rff7
And, here, about the best I can find is the return of the bishop to e6 on which black can return the rook to f8 if he thinks white has no better move than the original 1.Bf5.
Now, it took me a bit of time to see the right first move clearly, but that was because I was definitely too focused on busting through the black king’s defenses. The really amusing thing is that I actually considered 1.Bc8, but thought Qf7 was sufficient to defend this and immediately dismissed it, completely overlooking the lonely black bishop at a6. It was only later, looking back through the notes I made, that it hit me that white wins a piece outright:
1. Bc8
And the bishop is untouchable due to the mate threat starting with Qh7, so black must play the queen to another square on the seventh rank and give up the bishop, or play Nf6 attacking white’s own queen and protecting h7, but the first just loses a piece and the other is even worse:
And, here, black has two options, R2f3 and try to do something with the passed c-pawn or play R2f6 and protect d6, but neither looks really promising as ways to hold a draw. I think white’s advantage here is completely decisive. Or
1. …..Nf6 2. Bb7! Nh5 3. Ba6!
And, here, black has an even bigger problem than the earlier line- he is still down a piece, has another hanging, and white still has the threat of Bh6 spearing the black rooks. Continuing:
3. …..Nf6 (Nf4 4.Kf1! Nd3 5.Bh6) 4. Bh6 Rfg8 5. Bg7 Rg7 but black is now down a full rook with totally worthless pawns all over the place.
All in all, a nice motif involving an overloaded piece (the black queen).
White has no way to force a quick mate here. However, Black’s Queen can’t leave the 7th rank because of the threat of mate beginning with Qxh7+. White takes advantage of this to win material:
1 Bc8! Qe7
1… Qc7 or 1… Qf7 lead to about the same thing.
2 Bxa6
White has won a piece and will pick up some pawns as well.
It seems difficult to weaken blacks defence of h7, or strengthen the attack on it. Immediate Bf5 fails to Nf6. But what about: 1. Bh6 Nxh6 2. Qxh6 with the plan Bf5 next, black must strengthen 7. rank 2. … Re8 3. Bf5 Re7 4. Qxd6 changing plan and simply winning a pawn, but a very important pawn, I think.
1. Bc8
A refresher? Has this puzzle been up before? In any case, white would like to take at h7 but cannot since black has h7 triply protected with further defense possible with Nf6 and Rf7 if white tries a fourth attacker with Bf5, for example:
1. Bf5 Rff7
And, here, about the best I can find is the return of the bishop to e6 on which black can return the rook to f8 if he thinks white has no better move than the original 1.Bf5.
Now, it took me a bit of time to see the right first move clearly, but that was because I was definitely too focused on busting through the black king’s defenses. The really amusing thing is that I actually considered 1.Bc8, but thought Qf7 was sufficient to defend this and immediately dismissed it, completely overlooking the lonely black bishop at a6. It was only later, looking back through the notes I made, that it hit me that white wins a piece outright:
1. Bc8
And the bishop is untouchable due to the mate threat starting with Qh7, so black must play the queen to another square on the seventh rank and give up the bishop, or play Nf6 attacking white’s own queen and protecting h7, but the first just loses a piece and the other is even worse:
1. …..Qf7
2. Qf7 Rgf7 (Rff7 more passive)
3. Ba6 Bb6 (remove f2 defender)
4. Bb6 ab6
5. Nb5 Rf2
6. Kh3
And, here, black has two options, R2f3 and try to do something with the passed c-pawn or play R2f6 and protect d6, but neither looks really promising as ways to hold a draw. I think white’s advantage here is completely decisive. Or
1. …..Nf6
2. Bb7! Nh5
3. Ba6!
And, here, black has an even bigger problem than the earlier line- he is still down a piece, has another hanging, and white still has the threat of Bh6 spearing the black rooks. Continuing:
3. …..Nf6 (Nf4 4.Kf1! Nd3 5.Bh6)
4. Bh6 Rfg8
5. Bg7 Rg7 but black is now down a full rook with totally worthless pawns all over the place.
All in all, a nice motif involving an overloaded piece (the black queen).
Bc8
1.Bc8 Qf7
2.Bxa6
I say bishop takes Knight then scewer the rooks. Or win with the battery if rook takes bishop.
White has no way to force a quick mate here. However, Black’s Queen can’t leave the 7th rank because of the threat of mate beginning with Qxh7+. White takes advantage of this to win material:
1 Bc8! Qe7
1… Qc7 or 1… Qf7 lead to about the same thing.
2 Bxa6
White has won a piece and will pick up some pawns as well.
Bc8!
It seems difficult to weaken blacks defence of h7, or strengthen the attack on it. Immediate Bf5 fails to Nf6. But what about:
1. Bh6 Nxh6
2. Qxh6 with the plan Bf5 next, black must strengthen 7. rank
2. … Re8
3. Bf5 Re7
4. Qxd6 changing plan and simply winning a pawn, but a very important pawn, I think.
Bc8 looks rather strong
1. Bc8 !!
1. Bc8 wins the bishop on a6. greets, jan
Q H7