very difficult one…only one winning line…will come back to take a second look… 1…Rxh3+ 2.KxR Qh5# is fine, but PxR and Kh1 are simple replies and am unable to find winning responses to them…
Well,If you all feel that my previous moves for this puzzle is not only very simple but also childish,then start with blacks move has : “Nf3+” – this will sound meaning full with good lot variation.
I hate knights. Took me a while to see that Nf3 forks the rook, and it took me considerable time to find several key knight moves in the important variations. These moves are what makes Rh3 possible:
1. ……Rh3 2. gh3 Nf3 3. Kg2 Nd2 4. Bd3
And, here, I am not really sure how black should continue, but I would be reluctant to allow Bf5. If white wants to exchange the bishop for a knight, make him do it at e4:
4. ……Ne4 5. Be4 de4
And white is rapidly running out of useful moves. Continuing:
6. Ba7 Qd3 (preparing pawn push) 7. Bb6 e3
And Be3 seems forced since Qe1 allows a quicker win.
8. Qe1 Qd2 wins easily since 9. Kf1 Ng3 bags the queen.
At move 5 above, white is probably slightly better not exchanging the pieces, but this position still looks pretty bad for white as the hopping knights create havoc allowing black to exchange pieces while getting into position to advance the passed d-pawn:
10.Ba5 Qf3! (attacks f4) 11.Qh4 Qe2 12.Kg1 d3 13.Qe1 Qe1 14.Be1 d2 leaves black holding a piece advantage in the endgame.
At move 2 above, I shouldn’t have to point out that
2. Kh3 Qh5 is mate in another move.
All in all, white does best, I think with declining the rook altogether. This is still a quick win for black, but it actually offers the most scope for allowing black to blunder back the advantage as the necessary knight moves are nonobvious, at least to me.
1. ……Rh3 2. Kg1 Ng3!
Also too me about 10 mintues to see this knight move initially. Continuing:
3. Qg3 Ne2+!! (also hard to see) 4. Kf2 Qd2
And, no matter what white does, the queen is history to either a discovered check or a rook exchange. Best I see is
5. Qe3 Re3 6. Be3 Qb2 7. Be2 d4 and white still ends up with only a bishop vs the queen.
Best in this line above at move 3 is to now take the rook at h3:
And black has a big advantage due to the exposed king and the two backwards and very weak pawns at f4 and h3. However, I don’t immediately see how to continue since I can’t really see the best defense for white from here.
I started following your web site a few day ago, and I think it’s wonderful. The quizzes are fun. And the work you do in providing links to other chess events is really cool.
This quiz is not easy, and I’m unclear on the final outcome, but Black gets at least a draw.
After 1. Rxh3+, White can play Pxh3, Kxh3, or Kg1
If 2. Pxh3, the knight fork follows after Qxd2 3. Qxd2 Nxf3+ 4. K moves Nxd2, with a probable draw, I think.
If White plays 2.Kg1, then Ng3 looks like a good shot (threatening Rh1#), since 3. Qxg3 Ne2+ leads to either 4. Rxe2 Rxg3 or to 4. Kf2 Qxf1+ 5. Kxf1 Nxg3+ 6. Kf2 Ne4+ 7.Ke2 Rg3. In this last line, worse for White would be 6. Kg1 because of Rh1+ 7.Kf2 Ne4+
After 2.Kg1 Ng3, White can also try 3. Pxh3, when Nf3+ 4.Kg2 Nxd2 follows, and there is lots of play still left in this position.
Lastly, if White plays 2. Kxh3, then he gets killed by Qh5+.
This is a headbreaker! I can’t see any obvious tactical shots for black. So, I would try to exploit the fact that white’s dark-squared bishop is hanging (and not defending the king). Please correct me if I’m missing something, but I would play…
1..Nf3+ 2.xh3 Qb3 3.Ba7 Rxf3
I don’t have time today to look at all the possible variations for white, but it looks like black would have some counterplay, with ideas of checking along the 2nd rank and attacking the defening bishop on f1 with the f5 knight in order to be able to take with some sort of mating combination on h3.
I see two solutions, which BTW emphasizes the need for “the selection of candidates”. A)1…Rc2!? 2.Rxd1 Rxf2 I)3.Bxd4 Nxd4 4.Rxd4 Rxf1 5.Kh2 But I do not think the active position of the Black Rook might get something so it’s =+ II)3.Kg1? Rxf4 4.g3 Nxg3! -+ III)3.Bxd4 Nxd4 4.Kg1 Rxf4 5.g3 Nf3+! 6.Kf2 Rd4 ! -+ and everything seems in order. So there’s nothing decisive here. B)1…Rxh3+! This is much more efficient ! IV)2.Kxh3?? Qh5+ 3.Qh4 Qxh4 mate V)2.gxh3 Nf3+ followed by 3…Nxd2 -+ VI)2.Kg1!? Ng3! a)3.gxh3 Nf3+! 4.Kg2 Nxd2 and white can’t take the knight either with the queen or with the king. b)3.Qxg3 Ne2+! i)4.Rxe2 Rxg3 -+ ii)4.Kf2 Qxf1+! 5.Kxf1 Nxg3+! 6.Kf2 (otherwise Black simply moves his rook) Ne4 -+ I will be very grateful to all the stubborn tacticians who will find any correction or refutation !
Rxh3!, gxh (if Kxh3 – Qh5+) – Qxd2, Qxd2 – Nf3+
Black saves his knight and may have some winning chances.
1. …, Rxh3+
2. gxh3, Nf3+
3. Kg2, Nh4+
4. Kh1, Nxd2
(0-1)
very difficult one…only one winning line…will come back to take a second look…
1…Rxh3+
2.KxR Qh5#
is fine, but PxR and Kh1 are simple replies and am unable to find winning responses to them…
Hi Susan Polgar,
Ref: “Special chess tactic”
Sub:Black Wins the Game.
Well,variations exist but Black’s
win can be assured,given here one simple example,rest are left for brilliant minds in this blog.
1. .. R*h3+
2.K*Rh3 Qh5+ Mate
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,If you all feel that my previous moves for this puzzle is not only very simple but also childish,then start with blacks move has : “Nf3+” – this will sound meaning full with good lot variation.
By
Venky[Chennai – India]
rxh3!
rh3
1…Rxh3+ 2.gxh3 (2.Kxh3 3…Qh5) 2…Nf3+ 3.Kg2 Nxd2
1.Rxh3+ gxh3
2. Nf3+ Kg2
3. Nh4+
2…Kh1
3. Ng3+
Am I missing something…
I hate knights. Took me a while to see that Nf3 forks the rook, and it took me considerable time to find several key knight moves in the important variations. These moves are what makes Rh3 possible:
1. ……Rh3
2. gh3 Nf3
3. Kg2 Nd2
4. Bd3
And, here, I am not really sure how black should continue, but I would be reluctant to allow Bf5. If white wants to exchange the bishop for a knight, make him do it at e4:
4. ……Ne4
5. Be4 de4
And white is rapidly running out of useful moves. Continuing:
6. Ba7 Qd3 (preparing pawn push)
7. Bb6 e3
And Be3 seems forced since Qe1 allows a quicker win.
8. Qe1 Qd2 wins easily since
9. Kf1 Ng3 bags the queen.
At move 5 above, white is probably slightly better not exchanging the pieces, but this position still looks pretty bad for white as the hopping knights create havoc allowing black to exchange pieces while getting into position to advance the passed d-pawn:
5. Qe2 Nh4+
6. Kh2 Nf3+
7. Kg2 Ne1+
8. Kh2 Qd3
9. Qe1 d4
And white is again running out useful moves:
10.Ba5 Qf3! (attacks f4)
11.Qh4 Qe2
12.Kg1 d3
13.Qe1 Qe1
14.Be1 d2 leaves black holding a piece advantage in the endgame.
At move 2 above, I shouldn’t have to point out that
2. Kh3 Qh5 is mate in another move.
All in all, white does best, I think with declining the rook altogether. This is still a quick win for black, but it actually offers the most scope for allowing black to blunder back the advantage as the necessary knight moves are nonobvious, at least to me.
1. ……Rh3
2. Kg1 Ng3!
Also too me about 10 mintues to see this knight move initially. Continuing:
3. Qg3 Ne2+!! (also hard to see)
4. Kf2 Qd2
And, no matter what white does, the queen is history to either a discovered check or a rook exchange. Best I see is
5. Qe3 Re3
6. Be3 Qb2
7. Be2 d4 and white still ends up with only a bishop vs the queen.
Best in this line above at move 3 is to now take the rook at h3:
3. gh3 Nf3
4. Kg2 Nd2
5. Bd3 Nde4
6. Be4 Ne4
7. Qe3 Qc2+
8. Kg1 Nc3
And black has a big advantage due to the exposed king and the two backwards and very weak pawns at f4 and h3. However, I don’t immediately see how to continue since I can’t really see the best defense for white from here.
Rh3+ gxh3
Nf3+ Kh1
Ng3+ Qxg3
Qxf1+ 0-1
Please start posting tougher puzzles again. My first impulse seems to work lately.
rh3
Dear Susan,
I started following your web site a few day ago, and I think it’s
wonderful. The quizzes are fun. And the work you do in providing
links to other chess events is really cool.
This quiz is not easy, and I’m unclear on the final outcome,
but Black gets at least a draw.
After 1. Rxh3+, White can play Pxh3, Kxh3, or Kg1
If 2. Pxh3, the knight fork follows after Qxd2 3. Qxd2 Nxf3+
4. K moves Nxd2, with a probable draw, I think.
If White plays 2.Kg1, then Ng3 looks like a good shot
(threatening Rh1#), since 3. Qxg3 Ne2+ leads to either
4. Rxe2 Rxg3 or to 4. Kf2 Qxf1+ 5. Kxf1 Nxg3+ 6. Kf2 Ne4+
7.Ke2 Rg3. In this last line, worse for White would be
6. Kg1 because of Rh1+ 7.Kf2 Ne4+
After 2.Kg1 Ng3, White can also try 3. Pxh3, when
Nf3+ 4.Kg2 Nxd2 follows, and there is lots of play
still left in this position.
Lastly, if White plays 2. Kxh3, then he gets killed by Qh5+.
Lucymarie
1.Rf3! looks like a winner
Hello Susan,
1.QxRd2 Qxd2 2.Rc2 (checkmate with 2 knights) Qxd4 3.Nxd4 Bxd4
is it draw when a Rook vs 2 bishop?
musato
1. … Rxh3+
2. gxh3 Qxd2
This is a headbreaker! I can’t see any obvious tactical shots for black. So, I would try to exploit the fact that white’s dark-squared bishop is hanging (and not defending the king). Please correct me if I’m missing something, but I would play…
1..Nf3+ 2.xh3 Qb3 3.Ba7 Rxf3
I don’t have time today to look at all the possible variations for white, but it looks like black would have some counterplay, with ideas of checking along the 2nd rank and attacking the defening bishop on f1 with the f5 knight in order to be able to take with some sort of mating combination on h3.
I’ve spent enough time with this for one day.
1. … Rh3: +
2. gh3: Qd2:
3. Qd2: Nf3+ +-
If
2. Kh3 Qh5+ mates.
Qb3
black plays Rh3+
If
1)Kxh3, Qh5++
If
1)gxh3, Nf3+
2)Kh8, Ng3+
3)Qxg3, Qxf1++
If
1)Kg1, Ng3!!
and black is winning
1Rxh3 + +-
1..Rf3 seems to win in all the variations I am capable of seeing.
I see two solutions, which BTW emphasizes the need for “the selection of candidates”.
A)1…Rc2!? 2.Rxd1 Rxf2
I)3.Bxd4 Nxd4 4.Rxd4 Rxf1 5.Kh2 But I do not think the active position of the Black Rook might get something so it’s =+
II)3.Kg1? Rxf4 4.g3 Nxg3! -+
III)3.Bxd4 Nxd4 4.Kg1 Rxf4 5.g3 Nf3+! 6.Kf2 Rd4 ! -+ and everything seems in order. So there’s nothing decisive here.
B)1…Rxh3+! This is much more efficient !
IV)2.Kxh3?? Qh5+ 3.Qh4 Qxh4 mate
V)2.gxh3 Nf3+ followed by 3…Nxd2 -+
VI)2.Kg1!? Ng3!
a)3.gxh3 Nf3+! 4.Kg2 Nxd2 and white can’t take the knight either with the queen or with the king.
b)3.Qxg3 Ne2+!
i)4.Rxe2 Rxg3 -+
ii)4.Kf2 Qxf1+! 5.Kxf1 Nxg3+! 6.Kf2 (otherwise Black simply moves his rook) Ne4 -+
I will be very grateful to all the stubborn tacticians who will find any correction or refutation !
I visualized Yancey Ward’s comment. My analysis stopped after 4.Bd3, it seems I’m not that strong chess player. Anyway, slow dying for white.