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. Rxc6 (a) Qxc6
2. Qd8+ Qe8 forced
3. Rh8#
1. … (b) Qb7 or Qd7
2. Rc8+ Qxc8 forced
3. Qh8+ Ke7
4. Qxc8 White has traded a rook for a queen and a bishop
1. … (c) Qe7
2. Rc8+ Qe8
3. Rxe8+ Kxe8
White has traded a rook for a queen and a bishop
Mark
1. White Rook x Black Bishop.
If Black Queen takes rook.
2. White Queen D8+.
If Back Queen E8, then
3. White Rook H8++
Clever-Yuon
1 Qh8 Ke7 2 Rg7 Rg7 3 Qg7+ Kd8 4 Rh8+ Be8 5 Re8+
1 Qh8 Ke7 2 Rg7 Bd5 3 Re3+
1 Rc6
Q:How will you be able to give a check by Q at d8?
A: 1.Rxc6 Qxc6
2.Qd8+ Qe8
3.Rh8#
My instant thought (which is invariably wrong) was to play 1.Re6 but after 1…. Re7 there is no good continuation.
On one level, this is a fairly simple case of the Queen being overworked, guarding both the Bishop and the back rank from checks.That’s an easy way to see a solution.
1. Rxc6 Qxc6
2. Qd8+ Qe8 The King is also hemmed in, “smothered”, by his own Rook.
3. Rh8 mate
On another level, this doesn’t even have to do with material (Queen guarding Bishop) but simply about the Queen being overworked protecting against the mate threats, the checks that the Queen cannot guard against all at once. In other words, Black can’t even stave off quick defeat by declining to recapture.
1. Rxc6 Qd7 At least guarding both c8 and d8 from checks but in so doing leaving uncaptured the Rook which cuts off additional flight squares. Of course if 1… Qe7, simply 2. Rc8+. And if 1… Qb8, 2. Qh8 skewers the King and Queen
2. Qh8+ Ke7
3. Re3+ …. The Black Q unfortunately occupies one flight square and the Rook on the 6th rank cuts off the others. Black can only interpose with the Queen.
– Craigaroo
1. R:c6 Q:c6 2. Qd8+ Qe8 3. Rh8+ is lethal.
Qg5 wins.
1. Re6 (threatens 2. Qh8#) Rf6 2. Rxf6+ gxf6 3. Qxf6+ Ke8 (3. … Kg8 4. Rh8#) 4. Rh8+ Kd7 5. Qf7+ Kd6 6. Rh6#
Here I rapidly found the totally wrong idea:
1. Re6? Re7!
Enforced.
Anything else than a rook move (or Qxf4+ Qxf4) would be Qh8#.
If Rf6? or Rd7? then Qh8+ Kf7 Qe8#.
But what now? Black king has an excellent hole on f7 and here is nothing for white except stupidly exchanging pieces.
Then, after too long time I found the correct and simple solution:
1. Rxc6!!
and black resigns because of:
1. … Qxc6
2. Qd8#
The alternatives (trying to save both queen and king) were really ugly:
1. … Qb8?
2. Qh8+ Ke7
3. Qxb8
and white is up with queen and rook and mating soon.
1. … Qd7
2. Qh8+ Ke7
3. Re3+! Qe6 (not having Be4 here and being squeezed between own pieces)
4. Rexe6+ Kd7
5. Qe8#/Qc8#
1. … Ke8 (best?)
2. Rxc7 Rxc7
is down with queen “only”.
All other replies to Rxc6 are instantly down with queen and rook at least after Rxc7 Rxc7 Qd8+ Kf7 Qxc7+.
Hmm…
The solution must be right but a correction is needed to the main line:
1. Rxc6 Qxc6
2. Qd8+ Qe8 (wasn’t mate yet)
3. Rh8# (now it is)
Re6! the rest are easy….
White Rook E6 will not work.
Black Rook E7 will spoil the attack.
——————
White Rook x Black Bishop is the sure solution. You continue to threat the Black Queen. It’ is how you keep the control of the attack.
Clever-Yuon
To Oleg Mezjuev:
1. Re6? Rf6?? (Re7 was enforced)
2. Rxf6+??
Why on earth would white want to do this when he has mate in 2 moves?
2. Qh8+! Kf7 (only move)
3. Qe8#
2 of black’s own pieces, Rf6 and Pg7 generate a mate here. To avoid this is exactly the reason why 1. … Re7 was enforced.
And because Re7 is such a good reply, 1. Re6 isn’t going to work.
Dear pht
Please buy a chessboard.
When you say 3.Qe8# ,has the Bishop at c6 forgotten his duties?
1. Re6? Rf6?? (Re7 was enforced)
Re7 is a good defense for black.
Rf6 is a bad defense for black. You don’t want to move the black pawn. The pawn is needed to shield the side of the Black King to protect the Black Queen on the other side.
Rook at E7 is protected by both the Black Queen and the Black King. It’s a good defense.
Clever-Yuon