White to move. What is the best continuation for White?
r3kb1r/2pn1p1p/p3p1p1/1p1q2NQ/2pP4/2P4P/P4PP1/R1B1R1K1 w kq – 0 1
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Nxe6 looks like a winner. If fxe6 QxQ and if gxh5 Nxc7+ and the queen is lost. Qxe6 obviously loses material as well.
Nxe6 gxQ
Ng7+ Kd8
Re8++
This is a pretty straightforward idea, though I had to calculate carefully that the move actually works, and after about 2 or 3 minutes, realized that I had chosen the right first move, but for the wrong reason. I immediately spotted Ne6- the idea arises because of the discovered attack on black’s queen, and the threat of double checks/forks on the black queen at d5, however, when calculating the lines, you have to note that black can take at h5 with the queen itself, and doesn’t necessarily have to cooperate by playing gh5 as I had planned in my initial idea. This problem alone got me to finally notice that there were two double checks white could play after Ne6, and it is the one I didn’t notice that is a crusher that forces black’s hand:
1. Ne6
Here, black cannot play either gh5 or Qh5 since 2.Ng7 double check followed by Re8 is mate. Also, black cannot take the knight with fe6 since this loses the queen to Qd5 (the e-pawn is pinned to the king). There aren’t really good options here- I see Qe6 which will lose a queen for a rook and knight; or Nf6 (guarding the queen at d5 and opening a hole for the king at d7); or f5 (blocking the attack on the black queen and opening a hole for the king at f7). Lets look briefly at each of these to determine which is best:
1. Ne6 Qe6
2. Re6 fe6
3. Qe2 and by my count, white has a queen for a rook, knight, and pawn, but black has one isolated pawn and one backward doubled pawn. White’s advantage should be decisive.
Or
1. Ne6 Nf6
2. Qd5 Nd5
3. Nc7 Kd7
4. Nd5
Here, white must resist the urge to take at the rook at a8- the knight will be trapped and captured after black plays Bd6- winning a knight outright is almost always worth more than an exchange. Continuing:
4. …..Kc6 (to prevent Nb6+)
5. Nf6 or Nf4 to consolidate. By my count, white has won a piece outright for a slightly inferior pawn structure.
Or
1. Ne6 f5
2. Qh4
Here, Qe2 is probably ok, but Qh4 has an additional stinger on it:
2. …..Kf7
Black has few options- Kf7 simply looks like the best of a bad lot:
3. Nf8 Nf6 (alternatives below)
4. Re5 Qd8 (Qc6/d6 5.Re6+-)
5. Bg6 and white will win this easily. Back at move 3 in this line, black might do even worse by taking the knight at f8 immediately:
3. …..Raf8 (Rhf8 4.Qh7+-)
4. Re7 Kg8
5. Bh6 and this attack is too much to survive, in my opinion. Or
3. …..Nf8 (worst of the moves)
4. Re7 Kg8
5. Qf6! and mate is unstoppable. Or
3. …..Kf8
4. Bh6 Kg8 (Kf7 5.Qe7 Kg8 6.Qg7#)
5. Re7 and, again, this attack doesn’t look survivable.
All in all, 1.Ne6 should win the game for white, and if I were black and could actually calculate the lines in my head without a board, I would choose Qe6 if I didn’t just resign.
1. Nxe6 Qxh5
2. Nf7 dbl chk Kd8
3. Re8 mate
1. Nxe6 (a) Qxh5 or gxh5
2. Ng7+ Kd8
3. Re8#
1. … (b) fxe
2. QxQ mate follows
1. … (c) QxN
2. RxQ+ fxe
3. Qg4 Ke7
4. Bg5+ Nf6
5. Re1 mate follows
Mark
1.Nxe6! There are just so many threats 2.Ng7++ and 3.Re8 mate or 2.Nxc7+ or 2.Qxd5
If 1….fxe6 2.Qxd5
Ne6
1.Nxe6 gxh5
2.Ng7++ Kd8
3.Re8#
– High skill from MR KO (Malaysian)
1. Nxe6! isn’t too difficult to find.
Dual threats of Qxd5 and Ng7 – Re8 mate.
1. Ne6…
and blacks
best is 1…Qe6
If
1…Qh5 or 1…gh
then 2. Ng7
with mate to follow.
(also 1…Qg2 2.Kg2 gh
same)
If 1…Ne5
then
2.Nc7 Kd8
3.Nd5 gh
4.Re5
Ne6
Well, Nxe6 is the obvious first move but it’s mayhem after that as there are a lot of continuations for Black and White’s play has to be precise.
Nxe6 Qxh5
Ng7 Kd8
Re8++
those double checks are so filthy…
Nxe6+ Qxh5
Ng7+ Kd8
Re8++
those double checks are so filthy
Nxe6 is devestating