2B5/P4p1p/1P4pk/2n5/2P1P3/4qPQP/3r2P1/4NK2 b – – 0 3
Black to move. How should Black proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Halloween chess tactic
About Author
2B5/P4p1p/1P4pk/2n5/2P1P3/4qPQP/3r2P1/4NK2 b – – 0 3
Black to move. How should Black proceed?
scary!!!!
I think it starts with Nxe4
Nd3!
“I think it starts with Nxe4”
Yes, …Nxe4! not …Nd3? 2 NxN or 2 a8=Q with advantage to white. But this is a two part problem, as white has a zwitchenzug which allows capture of the knight:
1 … Nxe4!
2 Qh4+! (PxN?? QxQ)
2 … Kg7
3 PxN and the black queen defends the f2 square from Qf2++.
3 … g5! to displace the queen from the diagonal where it is defending against the …Qf2++ mate.
4 a8=Q PxQ
(or 4 Qxg5+ QxQ 5 a8=Q Qe3! transposes to the exact same position, but just takes an extra move)
5 Qa1+ f6
6 Qa7+ Kh6 and white is out of checks and can’t stop the mate on f2.
If 2 Nxd3, 2…QxN+ 3 Kg1 Rd1+ 4 Kh2 Qg1++
So knight can’t take. I don’t know if the solution has something to do with an Arabian Knight+Rook mate; still looking a defence for White.
sorry to say I don’t think anything works for black. Could Susan confirm this?
tvtom, If
1)… Nd3
2) a8/Q Rf2+ then either
2a) Kg1 Rxg2+ (and this is double check, so the king must move)
3a) Kh1 or Kh2 Qg1# or
2b) QxR QxQ#
Mark
1. .. Nxe4 2. Qh4+ Kg7 3. a8=Q (I can’t see anything better… the white queen is tied to the f2 square) Re2!! and black threatens Rxe1# and Nd2#. I can’t see any way for white to escape.
Note that a previous poster made a mistake on 1. … Nd3, i.e. on 2. Nxd3 Qxd3+ 3. Kg1 Rd1+ 4. Kh2 there is no Qg1# because the queen is on d3!