White to move. How should White proceed?
k6r/p2RN3/P7/1R6/2p1pP2/1p2Pb2/2r5/1K6 w – – 0 1
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1. rb8+, rxb8
2.nc6 wins threatns rxa7++ if black rook moves to b7 then rc8+ also leads to mate
1. Rh5!
If A)
1. Rxh5
2. Rd8#
If B)
1. Bxh5
2. Nc6 followed by Rxa7#
Rh5!! Rook can’t take due to Rd8#, and if bishop takes or rook anywhere else on the back rank, Nc6! and Ra7# can’t be stopped.
1. Rh5
Rh5. Black can’t capture with the rook due to white’s back rank mate. Capture with the bishop blocks the h file and give White the tempo needed to set up mate on a7…I think!
1.Rh5
1…Rh5!! Zugzwang
2. Rxh5 Rd8#
2 Bxh5 Nc6 by Tsekmate
Rh5! (prevents the mate on the 1st rank)
Black can’t take the rook as there’s a mate on the 8th rank.
Any other rook (that’s on h8) move by black will be followed by white’s Nc6 move — making the mate on a7 unstoppable.
1. Rh5
1. rh5 ..rb8
2 rh7
black has no defence left & lost in all lines
Black king is very well trapped.
I should immediately have played:
1. Nd5
threating Nc7#
1. … Rc8 (only move)
2. Nc7+ (simplest) Rxc7
3. Rd8+ Rc8
4. Rxc8#
Also seeming to work (and more fun) was:
2. Rc5 Kb8 (Rxc6 Rd8+ as above)
3. Rb7+ Ka8
4. Rxc8#
I find only a couple of moves delay by checking sacks.
I ponder why it’s called “sharp eyes tactics”, I don’t feel like having very sharp eyes today, so what have I missed now….
1. ♖h5, threatening
2. ♖xh8#
1. … ♜xh5 or ♜h7 or ♜h6
2. ♖d8#
1. … ♝xh5
2. ♘c6, threatening
3. ♖xa7#
1. … ♜c8
2. ♘c6 ♜xc6
3. ♖h8+ ♜c8
4. ♖xc8#
1. … ♜d8
2. ♖xd8#
Rh5 wins
1. Rh5! turns the tables in what looks like a hopeless position. The R is taboo, 1…R:h5 2. Rd8#, or 1…B:h5 2. Nc6 and mate on a7 is unstoppable.
If black just moves the R along the 8th rank, then 2. Nc6 is also a lethal threat, and of course 1…Rc8 allows 2. N:c8.
pht said…
I should immediately have played:
1. Nd5
threating Nc7#
1. … Rc8 (only move)
I ponder why it’s called “sharp eyes tactics”, I don’t feel like having very sharp eyes today, so what have I missed now….
1. … ♜h1+
2. ♖d1 ♜xd1#
Nc6 looks good to me, white is threatening mate on a7, so all black can do is sac his rook by checking the king to delay it…