10 seconds to find this is fair enough, but this game is far from won for white yet. E.g. Ne5+? Kxe8 can now gain a queen, but black regains it with c1=Q and wins. Qg7+ Kxe8 doesn’t seem to work either.
2. Re1!
This works! The threat is Qg7# next.
2. … Re6!
Splendid defense. Qe6? Ng5+! looses.
3. Ne5+
It seems that the time had come for this fork. Now or never.
3. … Rxe5 4. exe5
White’s gain from this is just a quality. White wins mainly because this e-pawn is strong!
I don’t have time for this “10 Second Chess Tactic”. I can see almost instantly that 1.Re8 followed by 2.Rh8 is pretty powerful and should win white a queen overall (though he may have to queen a second one at h8 to actually gain the edge).
In any case, over the board, I think I could play this without being 100% sure.
1.Ne5 is an interesting try. I ran through a number of replies for black and white seems to have winning edge, but there is one move I am having difficulty with:
1. Ne5 Nb5
And I think white has to move the queen to avoid losing, and I think he has to move the queen to cover the c1 square. For example:
2. Qd2 c1Q 3. Qc1 Rc1 4. Nd7 Kf7!
And I have no idea who stands better here- materially even, but unbalanced positionally.
I looked at my line a little deeper than I did this morning, and it looks winning clearly to me (1.Re8,2.Rh8), but I have to endorse Harry’s 2.Qe5 as the more elegant, and clearer solution. I completely overlooked that move this morning. Very nice!
10 seconds indeed! In 10 seconds I found the right first move and a losing second move (the fork 2.Ne5)
I agree with Yancey not only that 1. Re8 Kf7, 2. Rh7 should win but Harry’s idea of 2. Qe5! is much more elegant. And I didn’t see 2.Qe5 at all either. – Craigaroo
1. Re8+ Kf7 (Qxe8? Qg7#)
10 seconds to find this is fair enough, but this game is far from won for white yet. E.g. Ne5+? Kxe8 can now gain a queen, but black regains it with c1=Q and wins. Qg7+ Kxe8 doesn’t seem to work either.
2. Re1!
This works! The threat is Qg7# next.
2. … Re6!
Splendid defense. Qe6? Ng5+! looses.
3. Ne5+
It seems that the time had come for this fork. Now or never.
3. … Rxe5
4. exe5
White’s gain from this is just a quality.
White wins mainly because this e-pawn is strong!
“10 second chess tactic”…..
1.Re8+
>A-1..Qxe8.2.Qg7#
>B-1..Kf7..2.Qe5! threatening 3.Ng5#
>>B1-3..Re6.4.Rxe6.Qxe6.5.Ng5+,wins queen and mates
>>B2-3..Qxe8.4.Ng5+ and 5.Qg7#
Harry
I’m not very impressed by my first solution. I almost have to presume it’s wrong.
But if Re8+ is the right first move, what is the right second move then?
Certainly not Qg7#, since black obviously isn’t going to take on e8, he plays Kf7 instead.
Threatening both to to take on e8 and to play c1=Q.
Re8+ both QxR or Kf7 are followed by Qg7#
I realize that starting with Re8+ would be the completely wrong idea.
I had forgotten to think along this line:
1. Ne6! c1=Q
2. Nxd7!
Now there is actually nothing against Qg7# except delaying sacks of the newborn queen. E.g.:
2. … Qc3
3. Rxc3 Kf3 (enforced)
4. Rxc6
Mating very soon.
Or this nice line:
1. Ne6 Qc7
Must stay in 7th rank, but:
2. Nxc6! c1=Q?
3. Qh8+!! Kxh8
4. Re8#
Or:
1. Ne5 Qc7
2. Nxc6 Qf7/Qd7
3. Re1 is simply up with a rook for white. This seems the critical line.
Or:
2. … Kf8?
3. Qh8+! Kf7
4. Qg7#
I hope the rest of you saw this in 10 seconds!
I didn’t…
1. Ne5+ Qc7
2. Nxc6 Qf7
Wanting to protect Qh8+ Kxh8 (Kf7 Qg7#) Re8#, but:
3. Re8+! Qf8 (Qxe8 Qg7#)
4. Qh8+! Kf7 (Kxh8 Rxf8#)
5. Qxf8#
Or:
1. Ne5+ Qc7
2. Nxc6 Qd7
Looks perhaps best, but:
3. Nd8!
Once again threats Re8+ Qxe8 Qg7#.
I see no reasonable move for black.
3. … Kf8
4. Qh8+ Kf7
5. Qg7#
Now I think 1. Ne5+ looks like mate in no more than 5 moves, but there are a whole lot of lines to keep track of…
I don’t have time for this “10 Second Chess Tactic”. I can see almost instantly that 1.Re8 followed by 2.Rh8 is pretty powerful and should win white a queen overall (though he may have to queen a second one at h8 to actually gain the edge).
In any case, over the board, I think I could play this without being 100% sure.
pht,
1.Ne5 is an interesting try. I ran through a number of replies for black and white seems to have winning edge, but there is one move I am having difficulty with:
1. Ne5 Nb5
And I think white has to move the queen to avoid losing, and I think he has to move the queen to cover the c1 square. For example:
2. Qd2 c1Q
3. Qc1 Rc1
4. Nd7 Kf7!
And I have no idea who stands better here- materially even, but unbalanced positionally.
I looked at my line a little deeper than I did this morning, and it looks winning clearly to me (1.Re8,2.Rh8), but I have to endorse Harry’s 2.Qe5 as the more elegant, and clearer solution. I completely overlooked that move this morning. Very nice!
pht,
Also, I left a comment for you on the previous puzzle where you asked for how 1.Qg8 wins in that one.
10 seconds indeed! In 10 seconds I found the right first move and a losing second move (the fork 2.Ne5)
I agree with Yancey not only that 1. Re8 Kf7, 2. Rh7 should win but Harry’s idea of 2. Qe5! is much more elegant. And I didn’t see 2.Qe5 at all either. – Craigaroo