White to move. How can White save this game?
r4rk1/1b4pN/6QR/1np2p2/8/7P/p2q1PP1/4R1K1 w – – 0 1
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1. Qe6+ and now:
1) 1…Kh8 2.Ng5+ gxh6 3.Qxh6+ Kg8 4. Qh7#
2) 1…Rf7 2.Qe8+ Rf8 (Rxe8 3.Rxe8 Rf8 4. Rxf8#) 3.Qe6+ Rf7 4. Qe8+ and white saves the day with perpetual check
Nf6 Rf6 Re8 Re8 Qe8 Rf8 Qe6+ Rf7 Qe8+
1. Qe6+ Rf7 2. Qe8+ Rf8 (2… Rxe8 3. Rxe8+ Rf8 4. Rxf8#) 3. Nf6+ *
I would play Ng5 and black would have to give up the queen to avoid mate.
1. Qe6 does the job.
1. … Kh8 is met by 2. Ng5 (covering the rook from the BQ) gh6 3. Qh6 and Qh7#
1. … Rf7 2. Qe8! Rf8 (if the WQ is taken then mate in 2 in f8) 3. Nf6! gf6 4. Qg6#
The triangulation of the WQ from g6 to g6 is really cute.
White can draw with
1. Nf6 Rf6
2. Re8 Re8 (Rf8?? 3.Qe6#)
3. Qe8 Rf8
4. Qe6 Rf7
It took me a while to find the right plan, but that was because I have trouble seeing all the possible squares for a knight:
1. Qe6 Rf7 (Kh8 below)
2. Qe8 Re8 (Rf8 3. Nf6 gf6 4.Qg6#)
3. Re8 Rf8
4. Rf8#
At move 1, it is still mate in four if black replies:
1. Qe6 Kh8
2. Ng5
This was the move I kept overlooking. Continuing:
2. …..gh6
3. Qh6 Kg8
4. Qh7#
Yes, the line beginning with 1. Nf6+ will save the game (1. … Rxf6 2. Re8+ Rxe8 3. Qxe8+ Rf8 4. Qe6+ Rf7), but White has more than a perpetual with 1. Qe6+
1. … Kh8
2. Ng5+ gxh6
3. Qxh6+ Kg8
4. Qh7#
1. … Rf7
2. Qe8+ Rf8 (2. … Rxe8 3. Rxe8 Rf8 4. Rxf8#)
3. Nf6+ gxf6
4. Qg6#
Qe6+ Rf7
Nf6+ Rg6+
leads to perpetual checks. Otherwise black will be mated.
Queen to E6 can win this game for white.
ng5 with threat of rh8 should win
To the anonymous commenter who suggested Ng5,
I did look at this briefly, but discarded it because of the a-pawn black has that is about to queen that will win a rook in addition to the knight.
I am not 100% sure, but I do think you were right that black has to take the knight. I tried taking at e1 first, but the white king eventually finds a refuge at h2 by covering with g3. So, black just takes at g5:
1. Ng5 Qg5
2. Qg5 a1(Q)
3. Ra1 Ra1
4. Kh2
And, here, black has a material advantage, but needs to consolidate a loose position. To be honest, I haven’t looked at this very long, but I would favor Ra6. Continuing:
4. …..Ra6
And here, I don’t see good options for white. Exchanging just basically gives up, and moving the rook to h5 or h4 just allows black to consolidate his pieces further.
1.Qe6+ Rf7, 2. Qe8+ Rff8, 2. Nf6+ gxf6, 3. Qg6#. Or 1. Qe6+ Kh8, 2.Ng5+ gxh6, 3. Qxh6 followed by mate. Phil
1. Qe6+ Rf7 2. Qe8+ Rf8 (otherwise backrank mate) 3. Nf6+ gxf6 4. Qg6 mate. If 1…Kh8 then 2. Ng5+ gxh6 3. Qxh6+ Kg8 4. Qh7+
1qe6+ rf7 2qe8+ rxq 3rxr rf8 4rxr mate
1qe6= rf7 2qe8+ rf8 3nf6+pxn 4qg6 mate
1qe6= kh8 2ng5+pxr 3qxh6+ kg8 4 qh7 mate
1 Qe6+ Rf7 2 Qe8+ Rf8 3 Kf6+ gf
4 Qg8X
Bad is 1 Kg5 Qxg5 2 Qxg5 a=Q
3 Rxa1 Rxa1+ with material advantage for Black.
olimat
Mate by force, in four, regardless of the defense.
1. Qe6+ Kh8
2. Ng5+ gxh6
3. Qxh6+ Kg8
4. Qh7++
1. Qe6+ Rf7
2. Qe8+ Rxe8
3. Rxe8+ Rf8
4. Rxf8++
1. Qe6+ Rf7
2. Qe8+ Rf8
3. Nf6+ gxf6
4. Qg6++
“How can White save this game?”
This always sounds to me like to save one’s skin.
Is this an attempt to mislead people, or what?
Java goes
That’s not an advert. Just a piece of art 😀