White to move. How should White proceed?
Level of difficulty: 2 out of 4
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Level of difficulty: 2 out of 4
1. Rc7 is zugzwang
1. Rc7 Zugzwang
1. … Ng8
2. Rf8#
1. … Nd5
2. Rxc8
1. … Bd7 or Bb7 or Ba6
2. Rxd7 resp. Rxb7 resp. bxa6
1. … Ra8 or Rb7
2. Bxa8 resp. Bxb7
1. … a4 or h4+
2. bxa4 resp. Kxh4
1. … g5
2. Rf7+ Kg8
3. Bxh5 Nd5
The last variation is admittedly somewhat unconvincing.
1. Rc7! 1-0
We have a zugzwang situation here for black:
a) Black’s bishop can’t go anywhere (b7, a6 and d7 are all held by white pieces).
b) Black rook is stuck at b8 and can’t move to a8 (held by white’s bishop on f3) or b7 (held by white’s knight).
c) Black knight can’t go anywhere, because black loses his extra guard of bishop on c8, which will be lost.
d) Black king can’t move to g8 or g7, because the knight on e7 will be eaten by white’s rook on c7.
e) And, finally, the black pawns are all stuck where they are. If any of them moves, they will be eliminated by white pawns or white king.
Game over.
1.Rc7! Black in zugzwang.
Loved this problem!
1. Rc7 1-0
Rc7 cripples black completely!!
Rook and Bishop cannot move anywhere. Knight cannot move as it supports the bishop. King cannot move as it supports the knight!
So black must either – keep playing pawns and lose them to white king. Or let go of one piece and lose the game.
Black is in zugzwang after 1- Rc7.
He might try to jettison his g and f pawns with the hope of activating his knight with check, but even then he probably can’t avoid l loosing either his rook or bishop. Exploring and jotting down all possible lines would be tedious, though, so I’ll leave that to braver souls.
1. Rc7 zugzwhang
At first glance, black looks better, but he may have few moves to choose between. Could it be a zugzwang motive?
1. Rc7!
Indeed it is zugzwang!
Black looses a piece, and pawns too, in all variations, e.g.:
1. … Nd5
2. Bxd5 exd5
3. Rxc8+ Rxc8
4. Nxc8
Easy win for white. After taking b and a pawns, knight moves to king side, black king will have two wings to defend.
Black could try:
1. … g5
2. fxg5 h4+/f4+
3. Kh3!
Denying black Ng6 with check!
Still zugzwang, a black piece will fall, this is even worse than the first line!
Teorethically, black is up with 2 pawns and could immediately sack 1 piece and hope for some practical draw chances in endgame. But how?
1. … Bb7
2. Rxb7 Rd8 (Ra8? Rxe7 Kxe7 Bxa8)
3. Rxb6
is also discouraging for black, but relatively best perhaps?
1. … Bd7
2. Rxd7 Nd5 (Ng8?? Rf7#. Nc8? Rd8+)
3. Bxd5 exd5
4. Rc7 Ra8/Rd8
5. Rc8
is the same as first line above.
Zugzwang theme
1) Rc7 Black has Ra8
2) Kh4 a passing move. Black has Rb8 only
3) Ra7 now black cant play Ra8 and all moves lose material.
To Steppenwolf:
Your 1. … g5 variation is certainly unconvincing, since white can’t play Rf7+ before black has moved his knight:-)
Let’s simply see to that he gets no good opportunity to move his knight either.
2. fxg5
still same zugzwang.
2. … h4+ (Ng6 Rxc8+)
black wants to give a knight check, don’t give him, don’t be greedy here!
3. Kh3! f4
4. Be4
still same zugzwang, absolutely hopeless for black.
@pht:
Thanks!
@pht:
Thanks!