Easy to spot this one, but not so easy to be sure it works. Obviously, black would like to discover an attack on the unprotected rook at f2. But which square does the knight go to? The most obvious square is h4, but there is one little hitch in that plan:
1. …..Nh4? 2. Bf1! Qe6 (what else better?) 3. Rf7 and white should have the edge here. The problem with Nh4 is that white can play Bf1 (or even Qf1), because the white queen and the other rook still have eyes on f1, but if black plays 1. ….Ne1, things change:
1. …..Ne1!
And, now, if the white rook takes at f7, black still mates with Qg2, and if the white rook moves along the 2nd rank, white can mate starting with Rf1. In addition, if white still plays 2.Bf1, black just captures at f1 with the queen leading to a short mate. I don’t see any defense here other than material sacrifice, and I don’t even see how that does more than delay a mate.
Ne1 wins everything
Nf8 is my best try.
I like …Ne1
RxR cannot be played due to mate on g2
After QxN, black simply plays RxR etc
Ne1 looks good.
Easy to spot this one, but not so easy to be sure it works. Obviously, black would like to discover an attack on the unprotected rook at f2. But which square does the knight go to? The most obvious square is h4, but there is one little hitch in that plan:
1. …..Nh4?
2. Bf1! Qe6 (what else better?)
3. Rf7 and white should have the edge here. The problem with Nh4 is that white can play Bf1 (or even Qf1), because the white queen and the other rook still have eyes on f1, but if black plays 1. ….Ne1, things change:
1. …..Ne1!
And, now, if the white rook takes at f7, black still mates with Qg2, and if the white rook moves along the 2nd rank, white can mate starting with Rf1. In addition, if white still plays 2.Bf1, black just captures at f1 with the queen leading to a short mate. I don’t see any defense here other than material sacrifice, and I don’t even see how that does more than delay a mate.
Ne1 !
Ne1 wins
1. … Ne1!
Pretty neat mate in the highlighted variation. Hope Spassky got the chance to play it out OTB.
1. … Ne1 2. Bf5
(2. Qxe1 Rxf2 3. Qg1 Qf3+)
2. .. Rxf5 3. Nf4 Rxf4 4. Qd5+ Kh8 5. Rxf4
(5. Rxe1 Rxf2 6. Bxe5+ Nxe5 7. Rxe5 Qxh2#)
5. .. Qf1+ 6. Rxf1 Rxf1#
Very short lines here, nothing lengthier than
1. … Ne1!
Most stubborn defence for white seems to be:
2. Qxe1 Rxf2
3. Qg1 Rxb2
4. Qg3 Qxg3
5. hxg3 Rxa2
Black up with quality + 3p and wins comfortably.
Have I overlooked a faster mating approach here?
@Lucymarie, nope, Spassky didn’t get to play it out. Furman resigned after 23…Nf3-e1. Too bad.