Black to move. Can you find the winning continuation?
Source: ChessToday.net
Daily Chess Improvement: Find the winning combination!
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Black to move. Can you find the winning continuation?
Source: ChessToday.net
1…..Rxf2
2.Qxf2
(1….. Kxf2 2.Ng4+)
2…… Ng4
3.Qd4
(Damsel in distress.R at c5 needs support.)
3…… Rd8
4.Qc3 Qxc5+
5.Kh1
(5.Kf1 Qf2#)
5….. Nf2+
6.Kg1 Nh3++
7.Kh1 Qg1+
8.Rxg1 Nf2#
Smothered mate.
Professor Bhat,
Yes, that line leads to mate, even if white takes the rook at d8 instead of playing Qc3 at move 4, however, there are better defenses at move 4 for white, though those do concede the lost knight for a pawn:
1. ………Rf2
2. Qf2 Ng4
3. Qd4 Rd8
4. Rd5 ed5 (what else better?)
5. ed5
And white has lost the knight for the black e-pawn. This is probably decisive in black’s favor, but work to be done.
At first, I thought, 1…Qa3 or 1…Qb2 with the idea of threatening mate. But, with white’s, it’d be an outright blunder as black would lose the Q. So, I think that 1…Ra1 is the solution pinning the R, and should and when an exchange occurs, mate is threatened. However, 1…Rxf2 looks very good with the idea that, “To take is a mistake” But, I think that 1…Ra1 will lead to mate, even sooner.
James,
I looked 1. …Ra1, too, and I just don’t see how black gains nearly as much as 1. ….Rxf2. White doesn’t have to exchange at a1:
1. …….Ra1
2. Rc7
I have no idea if this is the best move for white, but I like this one simply because it removes the rook from being attacked and allows the white queen to protect c1:
2. ……. Rc1 (any better?)
3. Qc1
And black has some residual pressure- for example, he can follow now with 3, ….Ra2- however, I don’t see a huge edge here.
After Yancey’s 5.exd5 I was thinking of 5….. Ne6. This is a tactic which produces nothing after 6.Qb6 with no material gain or chance of mate.but it has one virtue.It allows exchange of Qs and smooth entry to endgame with black a piece up.