White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Attacking chess tactic
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Assuming that 1. 0-0-0 is legal, that has to be the best move – it defends the Rg1 and attacks the Kd8, while also freeing the Bg2 to take on b7. Black can’t handle all the threats. e.g.
1…B:g2 2. dc+ Ke7 (2…Kc8 3. Qe8+, or 2…Kc7 3. N:b5+ also add fuel to the attack) 3. R:g2 and white has many possibilities based on the open files for the R’s and commanding Ne5.
1…cd 2. B:b7 Q:g1+ 3. R:g1 R:g1+ 4. Nd1 and the Ra8 falls
1. Nf7+ (a) Qxf7
2. Qxf7 1-0
1. … (b) Ke8
2. Nd6++ too complicated to figure out tonight
1. … (c) Kc8
2. Bxb7+ Kxb7
3. Rxg7+ Rxg7
4. Qf3+ K any
5. Qxa8 1-0
Mark
Too difficult.
I assume white can still castle on the queenside, otherwise, I think white can win with Rd1, but not as cleanly:
1. O-O-O Bg2
What else is better here? White is threatening both dc5 and Bxb7. Continuing:
2. dc5 Ke7 (alternatives below)
3. Rg2 Qe5
Here, it is mate in 1 if black takes at g2 (Qf7#), and if black retreats the queen to h7, white will mate starting with Qh4. Continuing:
4. Rg8 and white has won an exchange and still have a powerful attack going.
At move 2 in this line, the alternatives of Kc8/c7 don’t look any better:
2. …..Kc8
3. Qe8 Kb7 (Kc7 4.Rg2+-)
4. Qb5 Kc7
5. Rg2 Qg2
6. Qa5 Kb7 (Kc8 7.Rd8+-)
7. c6 Nc6 (Kc8 8.Qd8#)
8. Rd7 with 9.Qc7# coming on the next move.
Or…
2. ……Kc7
3. Nb5 Kb7 (Kc8 4.Rg2)
4. Rg2 Qe5 (Qg2 5.Qf7)
5. Rg8 wins the exchange with a strong attack still underway.
I considered 1)Bc6 instead of the obvious Bxb7 which doesn’t seem to work, with the idea of a Queen check at e8. But this doesn’t seem to work either – Black gives up his Q for 2Rooks + another piece.
1) Bc6? Qxg1+
2) Ke2 and now instead of …Qxa1 which allows 3)Qe8+ followed by Nxb5+, Black gives up his Queen with 2…Nxc6 and I don’t think White has anything.
However 1) O-O-O (assuming White still has privilege of castling)setting up a discovered check seems dangerous and renews the discovered attack on the Queen. Now Bxb7 is a threat because the R(g8) is also indirectly attacked and falls after the simple recapture …Qxb7
So what happens after …Bxg2? A sample line
1) O-O-O Bxg2
2) Rxg2 Qxg2
3) dxc5+ Kf7 If Kc8 then Qe8+ followed by Nxb5+
4) Nxb5+ Kb6
5) Nxc4+ Kc6
6) Qe8+
So Black may want to try sacrificing the B on move 3 – a “useless interposition” which serves a purpose – the Rook guards against the Queen invasion at e8
3) dxc5+ Bd6
4) Rxd6+ Kc8 and maybe (!) Qf7 targeting Qxe6 does the trick
5) Qf7 Black can check with the Q but White’s R can simply retreat to d1; the Q has to make sure the R stays protected at g8; White threatens Qxe6+; if the R moves off the 8th rank then Qe8+ Not sure what Black can do here, for example
A 5… Qg1+
6) Rd1 Qg7 Black can add a check with …Qg5+ but White simply moves the K out of the way
7) Qxe6+ Nd7
8) Rxd7
– Craigaroo
BC6
Very unusual first move.
1.o-o-o This relieves pin on B at g2.Now white threatens 2.Bxb7 which wins either full R or Q &B for 2 rooks.
1….. Bxg2
2.dxc5+ Ke7
3.f4 white intends Rxg2 but supports N before doing it. B will not run away.
3…. Qh7
(3…. Qf6 4.Rxg2 Rxg2 5.Rd7+ Nxd7 6.Nc6#)
4.Qh4+ Rg5
5.Rxg2 Ke8
6.fxg5 h5
7.g6 Qe7
8.Qxe7+ followed by 9.g7
1.O-O-O if legal looks interesting as Bxb7 and dxc are both threatened but I can’t calculate it out on an iPhone!
1.Bc6 Qg1+ 2.Kd2 Qa1 3.Qe8+ Kc6 4.Nb5+ Kb6 5. Nc4+ Ka6 6.Nc7++
1.Bc6 Qg1+ 2.Kd2 Qa1 3.Qe8+ Kc6 4.Nb5+ Kb6 5. Nc4+ Ka6 6.Nc7++
1.Bc6 Qg1+ 2.Kd2 Qa1 3.Qe8+ Kc6 4.Nb5+ Kb6 5. Nc4+ Ka6 6.Nc7++
1.Bc6 Qg1+ 2.Kd2 Qa1 3.Qe8+ Kc6 4.Nb5+ Kb6 5. Nc4+ Ka6 6.Nc7++
How about Qf7? White can win a piece by force. 🙂