White to move. How should White proceed?
5r2/2pR1Nk1/5p2/p1n2Pp1/1pP3P1/1Pb1PB2/1r6/2K4R w – – 0 1
A classic Stamma chess tactic
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Attacking chess tactic
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RH7+!
Ncg5+
Here I looked at 2 possible approaches, both involving a preliminary R sack:
A)
1. Nxg5+ Nxd7 (what else?)
2. Rh7+ Kg8 (only)
3. Bd5+ Rf7 (only, giving back rook)
4. Bxf7+ Kf8 (only)
5. Ne6+ Ke7 (only)
and it’s pretty equal, hard to find anything decisive here.
B)
1. Rh7+ Kxh7 (what else?)
2. Nxg5++ Kh8 (Kg8 Bd5+ or Kh6?? Rh7+!! Kxg5 (only) Rh5#)
3. Rh7+ Kg8 (only)
4. Bd5+ Rf7 (only, giving back rook)
5. Bxf7+ Kf8 (only)
6. Ne6+!! Nxe6 (enforced here)
7. fxe6
and I tend to prefer this line because of the now excellently placed e6 pawn.
Though still complicated play I think white wins this.
2. … Kg8 (only deviation)
3. Bd5+ Rf7 (only, giving back rook. Kh8?? Rh7#)
4. Bxf7+ Kf8 (only)
5. Ne6+!! Nxe6 (again enforced. Ke8? Nxc5 protects rook and is up with a knight)
6. fxe6
looks even better for white than previous line.
It’s very fine neuances here that decide what line is better, but so far I conclude with B) 1. Rh7+.
@pht:
Your variation B) is the right beginning, but you oversaw the mate at the end:
1. Nxg5+ Nxe7
1. … Kg8 2.Bd5+ Rf7 3.Bxf7+ and mate soon
2. Rh7+ Kg8
3. Bd5+ Rf7
4. Bxf7+ Kf8
And now not 5.Ne6+ but
5. Rh8+! Ke7
5. … Kg7 6.Rg8+ Kh6 7.Rg6#
6. Re8+ Kd6
7. Re6+ Kc5
8. Ne4#
There’s a little twist that people are missing.
1. N:g5+ N:d7
2. Rh7+ Kg8
3. Bd5+ Rf7
4. B:f7+ Kf8
And now White has a mate in 4 (probably unless you are a 2200+ you need to set up a board like I did).
5. Rh8+ Ke7
6. Re8+ Kd6
7. Re6+ Kc5
8. Ne4#
It just seemed like there was something missing with just creating a passed e-pawn and allowing black to foll pawns at the White K. I doubted that Susan would have posted this unless something more decisive was available.
A classic it is- a mate in 8 or less. This was first posted here in July of 2010. Below is the analysis I posted at that time for the correct line- a line pht has nearly discovered above, except that he missed 5.Rh8+:
1. Ng5!! Nd7 (other moves below)
2. Rh7 Kg8
3. Bd5 Rf7
4. Bf7 Kf8
5. Rh8! Ke7 (Kg7 6.Rg8 Kh6 7.Rg6#)
6. Re8 Kd6
7. Re6 Kc5
8. Ne4#
1. Ng5 Rf7
2. Rh7! Kf8 (Kg8 3.Rd8 Rf8 4.Bd5)
3. Rhf7 Ke8 (Kg8 4.Rd8#)
4. Rfe7 Kf8
5. Nh7 Kg8
6. Re8#
Or
1. Ng5 Kg8
2. Bd5 Ne6 (Rf7 is shorter mate)
3. Be6 Rf7
4. Rd8 Kg7
5. Rh7#
For those interested, I seem to have done a lot of analysis of 1.Rh7, unsuccessfully, however.