White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
As soon as I looked at the position, the idea of a kingwalk came to mind but it took a few minutes to see that it is a forced mate in 6.
1.Qxh7+ Kxh7 and now the king is exposed
2.Rh3+ Nh4
3.Rxh4+ Kg6
4.Rh6+ Kg5 and now it is crucial to prevent the black king from coming to f4 hence the quiet killer move
5.Rf1 bringing the last white piece into the attack and sealing the mating net. Now black is powerless to stop the simple
6.h4#
I was initially looking at 5.g3 to guard the f4 square but after 5…Nxe4 the knight on f5 is unprotected so the immediate 6.h4 would not work in that position. White would still have to spend a move to play 6.Rf1 which protects the knight on f5 but this is still mating as black still can not stop h4#.
In the final position, notice how all of the white pieces are coordinated and working together perfectly to finish off the black king while all of the heavy black pieces are far away and stuck behind his own pawns. Kasparov would definitely be proud of this position as he was always an exponent of sacrificing material to expose the opponent’s king. Additionally, he always counts pieces around the king so white has 7 attacking units (yes, pawns are attacking units too!!) including the monster knight on his favorite square,f5. Conversely, it is difficult to see any defensive units for black.
I think Qxh7 wins immediately:
1. Qh7 Kh7
2. Rh3 Nh4
3. Rh4 Kg6
4. Rh6 Kg5
5. Rf1 and I don’t see how you prevent h4#
1.Qxh7+!!.Kxh7
2.Rh3+….Nh4
3.Rxh4+…Kg6
4.Rh6+….Kg5
5.g3!!!!!!any move
6.h4#
Harry
1. Qxh7+ jumps at me.
1. … Kxh7
2. Rh3+ Nh4
3. Rxh4+ Kg6
4. Rh6+ Kg5
5. Rf1!
and 6.h4# is inevitable.
After looking more than a minute at the stupid Rh3? Nf8! I had to find the mate in 6:
1. Qxh7+!! Kxh7
2. Rh3+ Nh4 (only)
3. Rxh4+ Kg6
4. Rh6+ Kg5
So far all enforced.
But how prevent king from escaping via f4 and e5?
5. g3/Rf1!
There was enough time for one of those moves now! King can’t move and no escape can be created.
5. … any
6. h4#
Example of “mate net behind double f pawn”.
I don’t see anything better than
1. Qxh7+ Kxh7
2. Rh3+ Nh4
3. Rxh4+ Kg6
4. Rh6+ Kg5
5. Rf1 —
6. h4 mate
1.Qxh7+ Kxh7
2.Rh3+ Nh4
3.Rxh4+ Kg6
4.Rh6+ Kg5
5.Rf1 and nothing can prevent 6.h4#
1.Qxh7 check , Kxh7
2.Rh3 check , Nh4
3.Rxh4 check , Kg6
4.Rh6 check , Kg5
And now,White must not rush to play 5.h4 check , else the King escapes via f4 to e5.
So , he plays a quiet move , Rf1 ,after which Black cannot stop h4 mate.
I looked first at both 1)Rxc5 (nothing there) and the wrong move order 1) Rh3 (defended by …Nf8) before seeing the immediate 1)Qxh7+
As always (a theme of conversation recently on the forum), it’s easier to find when you’re told there is a solution. I wish I knew how to see moves like Qxh7+ more automatically and I can only suggest, where a possible checkmate is involved, to look at every possible check or capture, especially when in conjunction with a resource such as Rh3 which brings another piece into the attack quickly. Also perhaps another mental clue is the nature of the defense 1) Rh3 Nf8 – which protects h7 a second time. The pawn or the square h7 can be protected this way, but not the King – that is, recapturing after your King is taken is no defense, so …Nf8 after 1.Qxh7 Kxh7, 2.Rh3 is not an option. So perhaps that is one pattern that we can try to mentally reinforce.
1) Qxh7+ Kxh7
2) Rh3+ Nh4 – the “useless interposition” in fact isn’t useless, it provides a flight square for the King. White still needs to find some moves
3) Rxh4+ Kg6
4) Rh6+ Kg5
5) Rf1 … Cuts off the King’s escape via f4 and protects the N on f5 if Black should capture its current protector, the Pawn on e4. There’s no stopping 6) h4# This is superior to 5. g3 which covers the escape square but leaves the N on f5 vulnerable after …Nxe4.
– Craigaroo
1. Qxh7+ Kxh7 2. Rh3+ Nh4 3. Rxh4+ Kg6 4. Rh6+ Kg5 5. g3 followed by 6. h4#
A few of the commenters suggest 5.g3 rather than 5.Rf1, but that is a bit inaccurate- 5.g3 allows black to delay the mate a couple of move by playing Nxe4 removing a guard on the f5 knight. If you play 5.g3, white will have to play a later Rf1 to guard the knight.
I see Craigaroo has already pointed out the minor problem with 5.g3.