White to move. Can White sustain the attack? How should White proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Attacking tactic
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White to move. Can White sustain the attack? How should White proceed?
Bxa5 followed by Qxe6 looks to be good enough.
1. Qxe6 and if 1…Qxe6 2. Bxe6 with threats of both 3. Bxa5++ and 3. Rc8++
Whoops, I missed 3. Bxa5+ b6 4. Bxb6++. My bad.
1. Bxa5 looks right. If instead 1. Qxe6 Qxe6 2. Bxe6 Bf6 creates an escape square for the King.
1. Bxa5
If
1. … Qxa5
2. Qxe6
The dual threats of Qd7 and Q8 force Black to jettison the queen (2. … Qe1+ 3. Qxe1 Bc5 4. Qa5+ &f) on the way to losing.
So
1. … Nxc1
2. Bxb6+ Kc8
3. Bxe6+ Kb8
4. Qxc1 with Bxd5 coming, and White has few worries.
jcheyne
Bxa5 followed by QxB – that should do it.
jcheyne said…
“1. Bxa5”
Yep, 1 Bxa5!! wins.
Nice analysis:
“If
1. … Qxa5
2. Qxe6
The dual threats of Qd7 and Q8 force Black to jettison the queen (2. … Qe1+ 3. Qxe1 Bc5 4. Qa5+ &f) on the way to losing.
So
1. … Nxc1
2. Bxb6+ Kc8
3. Bxe6+ Kb8
4. Qxc1 with Bxd5 coming, and White has few worries.”
I found another winning line, which also works:
1 Re1 Rhg8 (or…Reg8) 2 Rxe6 Qc7 3 Bf4! Qc5 4 Be3 d4 5 Qf4!! and white is better and winning, though not as decisively as 1 Bxa5!!
Bxa5
after 1.re1? …
1…bd6! spoils the party imho
greetings
Rog’s looks prettier, but does it fail after 2…Bb4?
Banjanx
Unfortunately, pretty doesn’t count for as much as accurate, at least in chess. A few people pointed out refutations of 1. Qxe6 simply by moving the Be7.
Vohaul said…
“after 1.re1? …
1…bd6! spoils the party imho”
Yes, you’re right — I totally missed that move in my analysis: 1…bd6! leaves black in good shape and ahead; I can find no win for white.
And Banjanx said:
“Rog’s looks prettier, but does it fail after 2…Bb4?”
Rog: “Unfortunately, pretty doesn’t count for as much as accurate, at least in chess. A few people pointed out refutations of 1. Qxe6 simply by moving the Be7. “
First, 1 Qxe6 Qxe6 2 Bxe6 Bb4?? utterly fails to 3 Bg5+! Bg7 4 Rc8++!
However, (as others have pointed out as well) 2…Bf6!! wins for black, blocking the Bg5 check and leaving white without any options (on either 3 Rc8+ or Bxa5+, black now simply escapes with Ke7, and white is down lots of material with nothing to show for it).
So 1 Bxa5 is indeed the only winning move.
Qxe6 Qxe6
Bxa5+
anything that involves a queen move for black allows Rc8 mate, for example b6 Bxb6+ Qxb6 Rc8 mate. So:
Bxa5+ Kd7
Rc7+ Kd8
Bxe6 and black appears to be helpless
1. Qxe6? Qxe6
2. Bxa5+ Kd7
3. Rc7+ Kd6! winning the bishop