White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
I would be interested in getting black to move that knight so that Qh8+ can win a rook, so N or Bxd5 would be of interest. However, 1.Nd5 quickly clears the path to c7 for the rook, so I would opt for that first:
1. Nd5 Bd5 (Nd5 2.Qh8 wins)
And now white can either play Bd5 or, even better I think, play Rc7 cutting off the black king’s escape:
2. Rc7
And how does black prevent the mate other than give up the knight at d7 so that the rook can be reached by the king from e8?
1.Nxd5 Bxd5 2.Rc7 ? Go, Arkadij !
White is better any way here, and the “lazy”:
1. Qh8+ Ke7
2. Qxg7
being up with 2 pawns, is probably good enough for a win.
But I need to look for something that is more fun!
1. Nxd5! Nxd5 (critical)
2. Qh8+ Ke7
3. Qxa8
is up with piece and 2 pawns.
The alternatives were worse for black:
1. … Bxd5? (Ra7?? Qh8#)
2. Rc7! Nd7 (only against Qh8#)
3. Rxd7 Ke8 (only against Qh8#)
4. Rxd5
is up with piece and 2 pawns.
1.Nxd5!
whether 1…Nxd5 2.Qh8+!
if 1…Bxd5 2.Rc7!
Greatings from Brazil!!
1. Nxd5 is crushing
If
1….Black Knight captures White Knight
2. Qh8+ Ke7
3. QxR
White is an exchange and 2 pawns up!
If
1….Black Bishop captures White Knight
2. Rc7
(Threatening Qh8 #)
1. N x d5 will get a rook and a pawn for the knight and with a far superior position. The threat of 2. Rc7 threatening mate with 3. Qh8 will force the black Knight to move away and leave its rook vulnerable to queen check at h8 and its capture.
As several others have already said, 1. Nxd5 Nxd5 leads to white losing his rook and subsequent though long demise. However, 1… Bxd5 leads to 2. Rc7, which is how the actual game went, after which Kopylov resigned.
But, I was wondering if resignation in that case was premature. Does black have a decent defense? Indeed, he does, if I played this out correctly, using Fritz 13 in infinite analysis mode as my opponent:
1. Nxd5 Bxd5
2. Rc7 Nd7
3. Rxd7 Ke8 {Now the black king has an escape via Kxd7. However, this only delays his doom.}
4. Rxd5 Qe1+
5. Bf1 Qb4
6. Re5+ Kd7
7. Qf5+ Kc7
8. Qxf7+ Kb8
9. Re7 Ka7 {White beginning attack on b7.}
10. h4 Rb8 {Black tries to defend b7.}
11. Bg2 g6 {Delaying move. Black can’t do anything.}
12. Bxb7 Rxb7 {Now a massive exchange of pieces takes place.}
13. Rxb7+ Qxb7
14. Qxb7+ Kxb7 {The rest is an easy win for white.}
Correction: Where I said “1. Nxd5 Nxd5 leads to white losing his rook”, I meant “1. Nxd5 Nxd5 leads to black losing his rook”, though white could easily lose his rook as well.