White to move. How should White proceed?
r1bn1k1r/bpp2ppp/3p3n/p1qNp1N1/4P2Q/1BPP3P/PPK3P1/5R2 w – – 0 1
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White to move. How should White proceed?
r1bn1k1r/bpp2ppp/3p3n/p1qNp1N1/4P2Q/1BPP3P/PPK3P1/5R2 w – – 0 1
1. Ne6+ Nxe6
2. Qe7+ Kg8
3. Qe8+ Nf8
4. Ne7#
or
1. Ne6+ Bxe6
2. Qe7+ Kg8
3. Qe8#
1.Nf7 should win, too, but I don’t see a quick mate. Alena is correct- 1.Ne6 is a mate in 4.
I was trying 1. Nh7, but can’t find a quick mate after 1. … Kg8
1.Nxh7 was kind of my first idea (though it was really simultaneous to Ne6- moving the knight to check the king and open a line to e7/d8), but 1.Nh7 should lose for white since he is already down a piece and a rook. I could never find any attack that could succeed in time before black managed to free up his pieces.
I’m not sure if that exact position has been up before but the same relevant structure has been on here a few times, I really like Anup’s idea of 1.Nxh7+ Kg8 and presumably 2.Ne7+ Kxh7 3.Rxf7 Nxf7 4.Qh5 theatening Qg6# even if that does fail to …Qf2+ followed by …Qf6 in the actual position. And also it gives me an idea to get 1.Rxf7+ to work
1.Rxf7+ is interesting, if either NxR White can use Alena’s attack, if Kg8 then Ne7#
1….. Ke8
2.Ne6 Qf2+ (2… Kxf7 3.Qe7+ Kg6 4.N(d or e)f4+ exf4 5.Nxf4+ Kh6 6.Qh4+ Qh5 7.Qxh5#)
3.Qxf2 Nxf7 (3…. Bxf2? 4.Re7#) and play might continue 4.Nexc7+ Kd7 5.Qh4 Rb8 6.Qe7+ Kc6 7.Ba4+ Kc5 8.b4+ ab 9.cb+ Kd4 10.Nb5#
I didn’t see 1.Rxf7+ Ke8 2.Ne6 Kxf7 3.Qe7+ Kg6 4.Qxg7+ Kh5 5.Qg5+
1.Rxf7+ Ke8 2.Nxh7 (Thanks Anup) Qf2+ 3.Rxf2 Nc6 4.Qh5+ Kd8 5.Qg5+ Ke8 6.Qxg7 Rg8 7.Rf8+ Rxf8 8.Qxf8+ Kd7 9.Nhf6+ Ke6 10.Qe8+ Ne7 11.Qxe7#
1. N:f7
a. 1…Nd:f7
2. Qd8#
b. 1…Nh:f7
2. Q:d8#
c. 1…. Kg8
2. Q:d8#
d. 1…Ke8
2. Qe7#
e. 1….Ne6
2. Qe7+ Kg8
3. N:h6+ gh
4. Qf7#
f. 1….Be6
2. Qe7+ Kg8
3. N:h6+ gh
4. Rf8#
Other moves similarly die to Qe7+ N:h6+ and Q/R mates.
Hm, I wonder what Yancey saw that you missed Craig?
I see 1. ……Nc6. It gives up massive material, and may even be a forced mate, but if it is forced, it is beyond my calculation range by at least 3 or 4 moves.
1. Nf7 Nc6
2. Nh6
Other moves win, but remember, white is already down material at the start, and the other options- 2.Nd8, 2.Nd6, and Ne5 gain less material, and none seem to have a mate in them that I can see. At this point, black has exactly three replies- Qf2, Bf5 and Ke8, and all are clearly losing for black, but again if you can find the quick mate, I would like to see it.
Yeah, 1…Nc6 just loses slowly. Best I can see is 2. N:h6+ Ke8 3. N:c7+ Kd7 4. Rf7+ Ne7 5. Q:e7+ Kc6 6. N:a8 and White is up a piece and a pawn with a massive attack, probably a mate as Black’s K walks the plank.
When I looked at this originally I just considered 2. N:e5, when 2… Kg8 3. Qd8+ N:d8 4. Ne7# or 2…Ke8 3. N:c7# or 2…Nf5 3. N:c6+ bc 4. Qe7+ Kg8 5. Nf6# or 2…Bf5 3. Nd7+ winning the Q. But I guess Black can live for a while with 2…Qf2+ 3. R:f2+ B:f2 4. Q:f2+.
Still, when I find a line that forces my opponent to sac a Q to prolong the game, I am always happy! 🙂