White to move. How should White proceed?
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White to move. How should White proceed?
1.Qe5 e6 2.Qxe6 +-
We had the same one before….
Qe5 etc…
I saw it too without looking at fabrice’s post.
It was quite difficult . I concentrated on Qc4 and Qf3 and somehow suddenly Qe5 popped to my head.
Why would black play e6 in response Qe5 when the pawn will be lost?
I feel right moves for white are Re1, Bg5 and Qe5 – need to check what order is best.
Kapalik
Kapalik.. If 1. Qe5 how else are you going to defend the bishop?
test
Kapalik said…
“I feel right moves for white are Re1, Bg5 and Qe5 – need to check what order is best.”
The order is crucial! Only Qe5 works, because of double-attack on the bishop.
If 1 Re1? e6! and the bishop is protected and the pin on the bishop is gone. So now if 2 Qe5 there is no threat and no pin and black is better.
Or if 1 Bg5? Qa8! moving the queen out of the pin while still protecting the bish by getting on the same diagonal in the corner. Now again 2 Qe5 is too late. Not only is black better, but now black can even threaten checkmate with 2…Bh1!
So 1 Qe5! is the only move to play first, because it double-attacks the bish and the pawn can’t protect the bish because of the monster pin.
“Why would black play e6 in response Qe5 when the pawn will be lost?”
Because every other move is even worse, whereas with …e6 black gets to counterattack whit’s bishop rather than simply give up the piece without a fight.
After 1…Rf6, for instance:
1 Qe5 Rf6
2 RxB Qe8
3 Rd6!! and yet another annoying pin and black is lost
3 …Rf7
4 Rd7!! QxR (or any other move and 5 Qd5 followed by Rd8)
5 Qb8+! with mate next.
or
1 Qe5 Qe8 (or most any other move)
2 RxB again followed by Rd7!
So black’s only try is:
1 Qe5!! e6
2 Qxe6! Qf8!
Black can move his queen and threaten the white queen at the same time (otherwise now white would simply play BxQ, but now black would retake with …BxQ as well).
Now black may respond to 3 RxB or QxB with 3…QxB! So the answer is that 1…e6 is the best shot to counterattack and trade bishops instead of just lose a bishop.
Note if white plays 3 QxB? QxB black is doing very well and is probably winning. So this line is the best defense if only because it gives white so many chances to go wrong when there is only one move that will win. Here white must play:
3 RxB! QxB
4 Rd8+ Kg7 (…Qf8 and RxQ loses the queen right away)
5 Qe5+ Rf6 (forced!)
6 Rd7+ Kg8 (or Kf8 or Kh8)
7 Qxf6 and white finally has won the rook and has an easy win.