White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Attacking chess tactic
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
I want to play Rxf8, but I am not sure it is correct any longer:
1. Rf8 Kf8
2. Nd6
After thinking about it, I don’t like my initial idea as much. I had thought 2.Qd6 was the right way, but white’s advantage isn’t what I thought once I got deep enough into the line: [2.Qd6 Qd6 3.Nd6 Rc2 4.Nc8 Rc8 5.Nh4 Rc4! and black will the e-pawn and the c-pawn and will have the only winning chances, in my opinion.] Continuing:
2. …..Rc7
I don’t see anything particularly better, but my enthusiasm for this line isn’t all that high right now. If Rc6, white just plays e5 earlier. Continuing:
3. Nh4 Qc6
4. Qf3 Kg8!
If black plays to g7, the knight fork at e8 wins, and if black plays Ke7, white starts a mating net with Ng6. This is why I put the rook on c7 at move 2. Continuing:
5. Qg3 Rg7! (an only move)
6. Qf4 Bd7
7. e5
And, I am either missing something in this line late, or I am wrong right from the start. White does seem to have enough compensation for the material, but this being a tactic problem suggests strongly that I have overlooked it.
A pretty puzzle with a special second move.
Examining the position, there appear to be several potential knight forks.
None win immediately.
But if we set up a discovered check then a tempo can be gained with a double attack.
1. R*f8+ (one of the obvious attempts justified by move 2) K*f8
2. Q-f1! (Quiet move but double attack: Discovery on K, at e5 and wins a piece (R at c4).
Either way this wins easily.
Psyche.
Way too difficult.
Yes, Psyche, the second move is quiet. So quiet I missed it completely. I totally overlooked the idea of setting up a discovered check. 2.Qf1 wins convincingly.
Qf1 on the second move is key