White to move. What is the best way for White to continue?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
A basic pattern
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White to move. What is the best way for White to continue?
1. Rh8+ Bxh8
2. Qg8+ Kh6
3. Qh8 mate
Mate in 3, I think:
1. Rh8+ BxR
2. Qg8+ Kh6
3. Qxh8#
if
1. … Kg7
2. Qg8#
Gee….this must be very easy, even I can see the mate in three, described by the previous two poster 🙂
Gabor
What is the name of this pattern? Give a free Rook? How do I remember it for the future?
The name of this patter is Clearance Sacrifice
Rd7+ Kh6
Qh8#
The previous poster notices that the sacrafice is unnecessary. However, his line is not quite correct. Qh8 is not checkmate because the black bishop just takes the queen. More like:
Rd7+ Kh6
Qf8+ Kh5
Rh7#
The clearance IS necessary.
Rd7+ Kh6
Qh8 Bxh8
or
Rd7+ Kh6
Qf8+ Kh5
Rh7 Kg4
I don’t like 1. Rd7+ because of ..Bg7.
After
2. Rxg7+ Kxg7
3. Qg8+
black is not mate
and after
2. Qg8+ Kh6
both Qh8+ nor Qh7+ lose the queen without mate, and Rxg7 is not a check, which allows black to ..Qxg2#.