White to move. How can White save this game?
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Middlegame Tactic
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White to move. How can White save this game?
1.Rxg8+!
1…Kh7 2.Dg6#
1…Bxg8 2.Dxh6#
1…Kxg8 2.Nf6+
mate should be inevitable, will give the lines later….
What bruno said, except on 1…Kxg8, I’d play Qg6+, and get some help with the bishop on b6 to force the mate. e.g.
2.Qg6+ Kf8
3. Bc5+ Kxe8
4. Qxe6+ Kd8
5. Bb6 mate
1. Rxg8+
if 1… Kh7
2. Nf6 1-0
if 1. … Bxg8
2. Qxh6+ Bh7
3. Qf8+ Bg8
4. Qh6+ draw by repetition
if 1. … Kxg8
2. Qg6+
if 2…. Kf8, then
3. Bc5 1-0
if 2…. Kh8,
3. Qxh6+ Kg8
4. Qg6+ Kh8 draw by repetition
xy,
Your solution is correct, except that Bc5 is mate already. Black king cannot take the white knight on e8 since the white queen on g6 supports it.
anonymous,
yeah, um, this is like a magical game where the king is allowed to take any piece on e8 even if it’s protected. 😛
1..Bxg8 also leads to mate after
2. Qxh6+ Bh7
3. Qf6+ Kg8
4. Kg7 mate
Also,
1. Rxg8+ Kxg8
2. Qg6+ Kh8
does not lead to perpetual since Qg7 is mate
1. Rxg8!
if 1. … Kh7 2. Qg6#
if 1. … Bxg8 2. Qxh6+ Bh7 3. Qg7#
if 1. … Kxg8 2. Qg6+ Kf8 (if 2. … Kh8 3. Qg7#) 3. Bc5+ Rd6 4. Bxd6#
1. Rxg8+ is correct, as simone said. (Others recognized the move, but only simone saw the interposed Rook move on d6; yes, it still loses, but it shouldn’t be overlooked.)
I would not give the move an exclamation point, though. While on the brink of being mated, White is forced to come up with something drastic, and Rxg8+ is almost forced. The exclamation point should be reserved for whatever move led White into this situation. That move, whatever it was, required much more foresight that does this one.
jcheyne