White to move. How should White proceed?
1kr5/2p5/1pQp3p/r2P2p1/2R2p2/1KR4P/1PP3P1/4qn2 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Brilliant Chess Tactic
About Author
White to move. How should White proceed?
1kr5/2p5/1pQp3p/r2P2p1/2R2p2/1KR4P/1PP3P1/4qn2 w – – 0 1
Qxb6+ cxb6 Rxc8+ Kb7/Ka7 R3c7+ Ka6 Ra8+ Kb5 c4#
1. Qxb6+ cxb6 (1. … Ka8 2. Qxa5+ Kb7/b8 3. Rb4#) 2. Rxc8+ Ka7/b7 3. R3c7+ Ka6 4. Ra8+ Kb5 5. c4#
Qxb6+ does the trick
No clue. Too hard.
Not brilliant at all. Check, check, check, check and checkmate.
4 seconds (one to verify) Very straightforward, no variations and unlikely to happen on the chessboard, both the manoeuvre and the checkmate pattern.
*Yawn*
PS: problems and studies don’t happen in games either. But there is much more content in a good study or problem, and there are by far prettier.
Qxb6 seems to lead to mate in both continuations
Too obvious and easy all forcing moves:
1. Qxg6+ c7xb6
2. Rxc8+ Ka7
3. Rc3-c7+ Ka6
4. Ra8+ Kb5
5. c2-c4 Mate
1) Qxb6+ cxb6 2) Rxc8+ Kb7 3) R3c7+ Ka6 4) Ra8+ Kb5 5) c4+#
Found this one instantly which gives a boost to my confidence since I have not really found a clear winning line in the last few puzzles. The winning idea is not too difficult to see once the key move is examined.
1.Qxb6+ was the move that jumped out at me and it utilizes the full latent power of the modified Alekhine’s gun (queen and both rooks lined up and attacking on the same file but in the original Alekhine’s gun the queen is behind the rooks)
if 1…cxb6
2.Rxc8+ Ka7/b7
3.R3c7+ Ka6
4.Ra8+ Kb5
5.c4# delivering the coup de grace with a pawn
if 1…Ka8 declining the sacrifice
2.Qxa5+ Kb7/b8
3.Rb4#
Black’s extra knight is meaningless as he has insufficient resources around the king to help against the onslaught of white’s heavy pieces.
1. Qxb6+ cxb6 ( 1…. Ka7 3. Qxa5+ Kb7 4. Rb4#)2. Rxc8+ Kb7 3. R3c7+ Ka6 4. Ra8+ Kb5 5. c4#
too obvious. what else is there to try? Qxb6 etc.
Q:b6+ R:c8+ R3c7+ Ra8+ c4# Black has no real options.
Easy one!
1. Qxb6+
checkmate not too far after
1.Qxb6+ cxb6 2.Rxc8+ Kb7 3.R3c7+ Ka6 4.Ra8+ Kb5 6.c4X
1. Qxb6+ cxb6 2. Rxc8+ Ka7 3. Rc7+ Kb5 4. c4++
1.Qxb6!!
A-1…..cxb
2.Rxc8+.Ka/b7
3.R3c7+.Ka6
4.Ra8+..Kb5
5.c4#
B-1…..Ka8
2.Qxa5+.Kb7/8
3.Qb5+..Ka7/8
4.Ra4#
Harry
Qxb6 cxb6
Rxc8 kb7
R3c7 ka6
Ra8 kb5
c4 #
John
1. Qxb6+! cxb6
2. Rxc8+ Kb7
3. R3c7+ Ka6
4. Ra8+ Kb5
5. c4#
Qxb6 cxb6 Rxc8+ Kb7 Rc7+ Ka6 Ra8+ Kb5 c4++
Qxb6 mate in 5
1. Qxb6, then 3 rook checks, and ending with c4 mate. Phil Innes
1. Qxb6+ cxb6
2. Rxc8+ Ka7
3. Rc3-c7+ Ka6
4. Ra8+ Kb5
5. c4#
1. Qxb6+ cxb6
2. Rxc8+ Ka7
3. Rc3-c7+ Ka6
4. Ra8+ Kb5
5. c4#
What about:
1. Qxb6+ c7xb6
2. Rxc8+ Kb7
3. R(3)c7+ Ka6
4. Ra8+ Kb5
5. c2-c4 mate
Other alternatives, after Qxb6+:
1….Ka8
2. Qxa5+ Kb8 (or b7)
3. Rb4 mate
Lovely! Looking for forcing moves first and checking at each turn for the most forcing continuation solves the whole thing: it’s mate beginning with 1.Qxb6+!
1. Qb6+ cxb6
2. Rxc8+ Kb7
3. R3c7+ Ka6
4. Ra8+ Kb5
5. c4#
Stop moaning you geniuses. It is nice to have a chess puzzle that us normal people can have a go at.