White to move. Can you find the best continuation for White?
2rk2nr/R1pnp3/5b2/1B3P2/1pPN1Q2/pPq5/P3P3/1K4R1 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Find the best continuation
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Qxc7+ and if Rxc7
Ne6+ Ke8
Ra8+ Rc8
Rxc8+ Kf7
Rf8 ++
Qxc7
Since Black is one move away from a mate, white must keep checking Black King so any path that lets Black King escape being checked is a dead end wrong path.
Leading with Nc6, Ne6 or Rg6 doesn’t work so first move must be
1. Qxc7, Rxc7
Now can check King only with Rooks or Knight, Knight wont work, but Ra8 will, because after
2. Ra8, Rc8
Can pull away the King from protecting the Rook by
3. Ne6, Ke8 then,
4. Rxc8, Kf7
Now the King must be checked again and can only be done with Rook or Knight. The Knight check will lead to a draw; but if
5. Rf8, Kxf8
Then
6. Nd8 for checkmate.
So solution is
1. Qxc7, Rxc7
2. Ra8, Rc8
3. Ne6, Ke8
4. Rxc8, Kf7
5. Rf8, Nxf8
6. Nd8,
This puzzle was fun!
Qxc7+! initiates a mating sequence
Beelze
1Qxc7+ RxQ 2Ra8+ Rc8 3Ne6+Ke8 4RxR Kf7 5Rf8+ Nf8 6 Nd8 MATE
Seems to be mate in 6.
yes qc7
ha1.Qxc7+ Rxc7 2.Ra8+ Rc8 3.Ne6+ Ke8 4.Rxc8+ Kf7 5.Rf8+ Nxf8 6.Nd8 #
Because the White Queen is stuck in the dark squares it is useless in any check mating sequence – yes! except if its role was to sacrifice itself; hence I went looking for 1.Q:c7+.
If 1…,R:c7 then 2.Ra8+ leads to mate quickly.
If 1…,Ke8 then 2.Q:d7+ also leads to mate.
Note: I don’t use computers to solve but I also do not figure it all out in my head. What I do is go to the Shredder web site where it is very convenient to input FEN giving me a board to move the pieces around on the screen.
Opening two browsers at once helps to write the comments -I hope 🙂
White must give check, since facing mate in 1. 1. Ne6+ Ke8 2. B:d7+ K:d7 3. R:c7+ R:c7 4. Q:c7+ Ke8 5. Qc8+ Kf7 6. Qf8# looks good, but instead 2…Kf7! and white is lost.
The only other check available is 1. Q:c7+, but this seems to work.
1…R:c7 2. Ra8+ Rc8 3. Ne6+ Ke8 4. R:c8+ Kf7 5. Rf8+ N:f8 6. Ne8#
1…Ke8 2. Q:d7+ Kf7 3. Qe6+ Kf8 4. Q:c8+ Kf7 5. Qe6+ Kf8 6. Ra8#
ok, i hope, this time i got it right:
1. Qxc7+ Rxc7
2. Ra8+ Rc8
3. Ne6+ Ke8
4. Rxc8+ Kf7
5. Rf8+ Nxf8
6. Nd8#
greets, jan
Woot what a mate.
1. Qxc7+ Rxc7
2. Ra8+ Rc8
3. Ne3+ Ke8
4. Rxc8+ Kf7
5. Nd8++
Black is threatening 1. … Qb2#.
1. Nc6+ and Ne6 are good strong checks but something more is required…
1. Qxc7+! with two variations:
1. … Ke8
2. Bxd7+ Kf7 (2. … Kf8 3. Qxc8+ Kf7 4. Be6#)
3. Be6+ Kf8 4. Qxc8#
or
1. … Rxc7
2. Ra8+ Rc8 (2. … Nb8 3. Rxb8+ Rc8 4. Ne6#)
3. Ne6+ Ke8
4. Rxc8+ Kf7
5. Rf8+ Nxf8
6. Nd8#
yes, starting with ne6+
With mate on b2 threatened, White has no time for subtleties. This one is simple, but sweet!
1. Qxc7+ Rxc7
2. Ra8+ Rc8+
3. Ne6+ Ke8
4. Rxc8+ Kf7
5. Rf8+ Nxf8
6. Nd8#
1.Qxc7+!! Rxc7
2.Ra8+ Rc8 (2..Nb8 3.Rxb8+ Rc8 4.Ne6#)
3. Ne6+ Ke8
4. Rxc8+ Kf7
5. Rf8+!! Nxf8
6. Nd8#
It is safe to assume that the first move is a queen sacrifice at c7 since, well, I see no other way to prevent black from mating white or winning at least another piece (the knight at d4). The only other possible checking moves for white are Nc6 or Ne6, but after Ke8, white loses with the first, it seems to me, and can only get a draw in the second:
1. Ne6 Ke8
2. Bd7 Kf7
3. Rg7 Bg7
4. Ng5 Kf8 (Kf6?? 5.Ne4+-)
And white is forced to take the draw by repetition with 5.Ne6 since he has no other way to hold off the mating attack. For example:
5. Qc1?? Qa1! (Rh1 6.Ne6 Kf7 7.Ng5)
6. Kc2 Qa2
7. Kd3 Qb3
8. Ke4
(8.Kd2?? Bc3-+)
8. ……Nf6
9. Ke5
(9.Kd4 c5; 9.Kf4 Rh4)
9. ……Qg3
10.Qf4
(10.Ke6 Qd6#; or 10.Kd4 c5#)
10. …..Nd7
11.Ke4
(11. Kd5 c6 12.Ke6 Nc5#)
11. …..Nc5
12.Kd5 Qf4 and I think this is a mating net still, but I don’t think it necessary to go beyond this point since white is totally lost now.
At the first move, white could play Qc1 immediately, but this looks lost
1. Qc1 Qd4 which threatens the same basic attack from above starting with 2. …..Qa1. In any case, white is down two pieces with his king in a pressure cooker set on high.
This leaves only
1. Qc7! Rc7 (Ke8 below)
2. Ra8 Rc8 (Nb8 3.Rb8 Rc8 4.Ne6#)
3. Ne6 Ke8
4. Rc8 Kf7
And, here, it took me a few minutes to see the rook sac at f8 followed by mate delivered by the knight (damned knights!):
5. Rf8! Nf8
6. Nd8#
At his first move, black does no better with
1. ……Ke8
2. Bd7 Kf7 (Kf8 3.Qc8 Kf7 4.Be6#)
3. Be6 Kf8
4. Qc8#