White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
1. Qxh6!
with the threat of 2. Qh8+ and 3. Nh6#
If 1. … Bxf6, 2. Nxf6+ Rh8, 3. Rxf8+#
So, Black forced to play:
1. … Qc1
2. Rxc1 Bxh6
3. Bxc3
and white continues with a full rook ahead.
Sadly, for Mr. Schneider he continued with 1. g3? and lost the game after 10 moves.
This games proves that Tal was lucky sometimes! Go PETROSIAN!!
1.Qxh6! Rxf7 2.Rd8+ Bf8 3.R(8)x f8+ Rxf8 4.Rxf8 mate!
1.Qxh6! Bxh6 2.Nxh6+ Kh8 3.Rxf8 mate!
Kamalakanta
1. Qxh6! (threatening 2. Qh8+ and 3. Nh6#) Bxh6 2. Nxh6+, Kh8 3. Rxf8#
It looks like 1. – , Qc1 is the best defence for Black with some counter-threats on the first row. Now there is no checkmate for White after 2. Qh8+, Bxh8 because the Black Queen holds the h6 square.
But after a few simple exchanges the endgame seems to be won for White.
One possible continuation is:
2. Qxc1, Rxc1 2. Rxc1, Rxf7 and White has a quality up. The rest is the matter of pure endgame technique…
What about
1. … g5
protecting h6 with the rook at c6? Is there anything better than
2. Qxg5
?
1.Qxh6 !!
If 1. – , g5 (black tries to protect the h6 square with his rook on c6) then simply 2. Qxg5 (takes pawn and ties bishop on g7).
White creates an immediate threat 3. Nh6+ (check and opens the 7th row for the rook on d7 to strike the bishop on g7). After 3. – , Rxh6 follows 4. Qxg7#.
Of course, black could try to protect the bishop on g7 with 2. – , Qxb2 but then he loses his rook on c6 after 3. Qxc6.
In my previous post I wrote: “Of course, black could try to protect the bishop on g7 with 2. – , Qxb2 but then he loses his rook on c6 after 3. Qxc6.”
But I overlooked the fact that white Queen have already moved away from the 6th row (after 2. Qxg5) so taking black’s rook on c6 (3. Qxc6) is no longer an option.
This chess problem turned out to be much deeper than I first thought.
Ok, let’s take it from the start:
1. Qxh6! (best move)
1. -, g5 (best defence, as black brings the rook on c6 into the game and protects the h6 square). As we already know 1. – , Bxh6 loses directly after 2. Nxh6+, Kh8 3. Rxf8#
2. Qxg5 (nothing else is a possible for white at the moment)
2. – , Qxb2 (protecting the Bishop at g7).
So far, so good for black.
Now, white should strike decisively hard and be patient for a few more moves before a winning situation will emerge. Plenty of winning variations are possible, depending on black’s behavior.
Main line after black’s move 2. – , Qxb2 is:
3. Nh6+!, Rxh6
Alternative 3rd move for black is: 3. – , Kh8 – and here are some possible variations after that:
3. – , Kh8 4. Rxf8+, Bxf8 5. Qg8#
3. – , Kh8 4. Rxf8+, Kh7 5. Rxg7+, Qxg7 6. Rf7 and white wins the black Queen (no checkmate is possible for black on c1, the square is protected by white Queen on g5).
3. – , Kh8 4. Rxf8+, Kh7 5. Qf5+, Kxh6 6. Rh8+, Bxh8 7. Rh7#
3. – , Kh8 4. Rxf8+, Kh7 5. Qf5+, Rg6 6. Rxg7+, Kxh6 7. Qxg6#
3. – , Kh8 4. Rxf8+, Kh7 5. Qf5+, Rg6 6. Rxg7+, Kxg7 7. Rg8+, Kxh6 (or 7. – , Kh7) 8. Qxg6#
3. – , Kh8 4. Rxf8+, Kh7 5. Qf5+, Rg6 6. Rxg7+, Qxg7 7. Rf7 and white wins the black Queen.
The main line after black’s 3. – , Rxh6 goes like this:
4. Rxf8+, Kh7 (of course not 4. – , Kxf8 because of 5. Qd8#) 5. Rxg7+, Qxg7 6. Qf5+, Qg6 (6. – , Rg6 7. Rf7 and white wins black Queen) 7. Qd7+, Qg7 8. Rf7 and white wins black Queen and the game.
Hope I haven’t missed anything essential. If so, please correct my variations.