Black to move. How should Black proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Difficult oldie chess tactic
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Black to move. How should Black proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
This invites to play a really sharp move like:
1. … Rc2!
Some impossible looking replies now are:
A.
2. Qxd4?? Rxg2
3. Qg1 (only against R8xh2#) Rg5+
4. Rf3 (delay) Bxf3+
5. Qg2 Rxg2
6. Ne8+ (delay) Kf8
7. h4 Rxh4#
B.
2. Rf2?? Qd1+
3. Rf1 Rxg2!
4. Ng4 (Ne4?? R8xh2#) Rxg4+
5. Rf3 Bxf3+
6. Qxf3 Qxf3#
C.
2. Rf3 Qd1+
3. Qg1 Bxf3!!
Now impossible is gxf3 because of Rxh2#.
What has white against Rxg2 next?
Nothing I think.
4. Qxd1 Rxg2
5. Qg1
Should transpose to line A above.
D.
2. Ng4 Rxg2
Ng4 preliminary protects Rxh2#, but black has Rxg4+.
This also seems to transpose to some above line.
Well, the basic idea here was easy to see, but the variations are numerous.
This really makes it complicated, I will probably have missed something….
Rc2 – the threat is Rxg2 (with the dual threats of R8xh2# and Rg3+ leading to mate)
Where do we find the solution?
How about Rc2? Is this close to the correct answer? 😉
1.Rc2 Rg1
2.Bc5 and white’s difficulties are enormous.Underdevelopment (B at home) is the cause of all trouble.
The weakness at g2 is glaring so 1)…Rc2 ignoring the hanging Queen is tempting. If 2) Qxd4 Rxg2 threatens R(8)xh2 mate and there appear to be no answers. eg 3)Ng4 Rxg4 with discovered check. Or 3)Qg1 and now the other R takes with mate: …R(2) xh2
If this is true then White must seek an alternative such as 2)Rg1 to protect the g2 square.
-Craigaroo
1… Rc2
2. QxQ Rxg2
if
3. Ne8+ Kf8
if
3. Qg1 R2xh2#
or
3. Ne4 R8xh2#
so instead of 2. QxQ
2. Rg1 Qd1
if 3. RxQ, Rxg2 and the same mate threats as before win for black. the threat otherwise is 3… Bxg2#
if
3. Bd2 Qxd2 wins a piece.
if
3. Ne4
now 3… Bc5 is tempting but 4. Rxd1 works.
So. 3… Qh5
4. h3 Bxe4
5. Qxe4 Qah3#
Black gains material by bishop sacrifice on g2.
I didn’t find the first move difficult to spot, but the details are a different matter. The weak spot in the white king’s defense is g2, so I almost immediately spotted the opportunity to double up on it with Rc2- this threatens two common mating motifs if white takes the queen:
1. …..Rc2
2. Qd4 Rg2!
And white cannot prevent both Rhh2# and Rg4#.
So, white really needs to guard g2 with the queen from g1 or g3, or with the rook from g1:
1. …..Rc2
2. Rg1
Now, black has some options here, but the safest to my eye is to simply protect the queen with Bc5 which also doubles the attack on the white queen and x-rays the rook at g1. All white can really do is just lose material now:
2. …..Bc5
3. Qd4 Bd4
And the rook at g1 can’t leave without allowing Rg2 again with unstoppable mating threats.
At move 2, white can try protecting g2 with the queen:
1. …..Rc2
2. Qg3 Rg2
3. Qg2 Bg2
4. Kg2 Qd3 and this is clearly lost- might even be a mate in here somewhere that I don’t yet see.
Or
2. Qg1 Qg1 (most direct)
3. Rg1 Bc5 wins easily.
Black wins after 1… Rc2!
if 2.Qxd4 Rxg2 with a quick checkmate.
if 2. Rg1 Bc5! 3. Qxd4 Bxd4 and white is lost.
1- Rc2 Qxd4
(… Rg1 2-Bxg2+ Rxg2 3- Rxc1+ Rxc1 4- QxQ wins queen and the game)
2- RxG2 ….
3- R8xh2#
Rc2 with the idea of Rxg2 (with mates in h2 or after Rxg4) looks interesting.
1. – Rc2 2. Rg1 Qd1 looks good