White to move. How should white proceed?
2b1r3/1p2bkpp/p2pNp2/q4r2/1n1R4/1Q6/1PP3PP/1K5R w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Find the right continuation
About Author
White to move. How should white proceed?
2b1r3/1p2bkpp/p2pNp2/q4r2/1n1R4/1Q6/1PP3PP/1K5R w – – 0 1
Pretty obvious we are looking for a double check in this position. There are two- Nd8 and Ng5, and on a quick calculation, I can see that Ng5 is probably the one you want. The problem with Nd8 is that there is no way to force black’s king to g5, or the fifth rank, and away from g7, or to keep black from blocking checks with the rook along the fifth rank. Just quick line to see the problem:
1. Nd8 Kg6 (Kf8 2.Qf7#)
2. Qf7
Nothing better, in my opinion. Rg4 is blocked with Rg5. Continuing:
2. …..Kh6 (Kg5 3.Qg7 Kh5 4.Qg4+-)
And what now for white? Rh4 is blocked with Rh5 (note this) and the rook at h5 is protected by his queen, so white’s attack is at an end. At move 3, white can win the rook at e8, but will lose the knight at d8, and white was already down two pieces to start, so an exchange ain’t going to help. However, the way this attack failed tells one all one needs to know- the knight isn’t needed for the final mate on black, the knight can be sacrificed:
1. Ng5! Kg6 (as before Kf8 2.Qf7#)
2. Qf7 Kg5
And now the knight serves his final duty- to prevent the rook block at h5 if black plays Kh6 here: [2. …Kh6 3.Rh4 Kg5 4.Qh5#]. Continuing:
3. Qg7 Kh5
4. Qh7 Kg5
5. h4#
For the beginning players- double checks are powerful, it means the enemy king must be moved. Whenever you spot the possibility, it is worth your time to find a way to use it.
Ng5, Qf6, Rh4,Qh5
Ktd8+, Kf8
Qf7 mate
This comment has been removed by the author.
1. Nd8+ Kg6 2. Rg4+ (Rg5 3. Qf7+ Kh6 4. Rh4+ Kg5 or Rh5 5. Qh5++) Kh6 3. Nf7+ Kh5 4. Qh3++
1.Ng5++ Kg6
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.g4+ Kh4
5.gxf5+ Kh5
6.Qxh7+ Kg5
7.Qg6#
1.Ng5++ Kg6
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.g4+ Kh4
5.gxf5+ Kh5
6.Qxh7+ Kg5
7.Qg6#
– High skills of MR KO (Malaysian)
1.Ne6-g5+ Kf7-g6 2.Qb3-f7+ Kg6xg5 3.Qf7xg7+ Kg5-h5 4.Qg7xh7+ Kh5-g5 5.h2-h4#
Ng5!Check…Kg6 and its over. Nd8# is cute biut flawed.
Pedro,
1.Nd8 Kg6
2.Rg4 Rg5
3.Qf7 Kh6
4.Rh4 Rh5
5.Qh5 Qh5 wins for black.
Ng5+ also leads to mate, unless I am mistaken?
1. Ng5 Kf8 Qf7#
or 1. Ng5 Kg6 2. Qf7+ Kxg5 3. Qxg7+ Kh5 4. Qxh7+ Kg5 5. h4# is prettier I think
1. Nd8+ Kg6
2. Qf7+ Kg5
3. Qxg7+ Kh5
4. Qxh7+ Kg5
5. Nf7#
Protection of the g5 and h5 squares need to be cut off.
1. Ng5+, Kg6
2. Qf7, Kxg5 (or mate with Rh4 and Qh5)
3. Qxg7+, Kh5
4. Qxh7+, Kg5
5. h4#
I say it’s mate in five.
1.Ng5+ Kg6
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.Qxh7+ Kg6
5.h4#
1.Ng5+ Kg6
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
(2…Kh6 3.Rh4+ Kxg5 4.Qh5#)
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.Qxh7+ Kg5
5.h4#
1. Ng5+ Kg6 or [1. … Kf8 2. Qf7#]
Nice thing about double check is the king HAS to move.
2. Qf7+ Kxg5 or [2. … Kh6 3. Rh4# If White had played 1. Nd8+ rather than 1. Ng5+, then in this line, Black would be able to interpose his rook here with 3. … Rh5]
3. Qxg7+ Kh5
4. Qxh7+ Kg5
5. h4#
Pedro Borges ,on aside note,you don’t happen to be related to the Argentinian writer Jorgue Luis Borges by any chance? I love his stuff. Especially his work “Ficciones”.
Also good try with your analysis but it kind of fails since 2.Rg4 Kf5! and black escapes. I’m guessing that you thought if black played 2…Rg5 you could mate with 3. Qf7+ but that fails to 3….Kf5! and black gets away!
Dear Haridaran,
In the line you give, if Black plays 2. … Kh6 (rather than Kg5), then
after 3. Rh4+ the Black rook can interpose with Rh5. But if White had played 1. Ng5+ on the 1st move….
Btw, Pedro, I realized that after 3…Kf5 it’s not so clear . White could play:
4. RxR+ KxR
5.Qxg7+ Kf5
6. Rf1+ Ke4
7.Re1+ Kd4
8.Qg3!?
However, black is still winning, I’m sure.
Dear Pedro,
In the line you give:
1. Nd8+ Kg6
2. Rg4+ Rg5
3. Qf7+ Kh6
4. Rh4+ Rh5
5. Qxh5+ White loses:
5. … Qxh5
6. Rxh5+ Kxh5
7. Nf7 Kg6
Alright, I see that some people chose the q.Nd8+ line, and I just want to say that that doesn’t work. I mean, it’s a good try, don’t get me wrong!
1.Nd8+ Kg6
2.Qf7+ Kh6! ( Haridaran’s line 2…Kg5?? is bad for black)
And 3.Rh4+ doesn’t work ’cause 3…Rh5! and black’s queen on A5 is guarding it and there is no mate. I know, it’s hard to see that kind of stuff.
1. Nd8+ Kg6 (Kf8 2. Qf7++) 2. Qf7+ Kf5 (Kh6 3.Rh4+ followed by either Qxh5++ or Qh5++) 3. Qxg7+ Kh5 4. Qxh7+ Kg5 5. Nf7++
1. Ng5+ Kg6 (1. – Kf8 2. Qf7#)
2. Qf7+ Kxg5 (2. – Kh6 3. Rh4+ Kxg5 4. Qh5#)
3. Qxg7+ Kh5
4. Qxh7+ Kg5
5. h4#
In response to previous lines that have already been approved by the moderator because they are wrong:
1. Nd8+ Kg6
2. Rg4+ Rg5
3. Qf7+ Kf5 and I can’t see how white progresses now
1. Nd8+ Kg6
2. Qf7+ Kh6 and white can’t make progress because the knight doesn’t block the 5th rank so:
3. Rh4+ Rh5 and white’s attack is over
1. Ng5++ Kg6
1. … Kf8
2. Qf7#
2. Qf7+ Kxg5
2. … Kh6 does not work because the rook´s way to h5 is blocked:
3. Rh4+ Kxg5
4. Qh5#
3. Qxg7+ Kh5
4. Qxh7+ Kg5
5. h4#
1. Ng5+ (1. Nd8+? Kg6 2. Rg4+ Kh6 3. Rh4+ Rh5 4. Qh5+ Qxh5 -+) Kg6 (1. … Kf8 2. Nxh7 mate) 2. Qf7+ Kxg5 (2. … Kh6 3. Rh4+ Kxg5 4. Qh5 mate) 3. Qxg7+ Kh5 4. g4+ Kh4 5. gxf5+ Kh5 (5. … Kh3 6. Qg3 mate) 6. Qxh7+ Kg5 7. Qg6 mate
1Ng5+ kg6 2 Qf7+ kg5 3Qg7+ kh5
4Qh7 kg5 5h4 mate