White to move. Which side is better? What should White do?
r6k/2p4p/2p2rpq/p3p3/2B1P3/1QB2P1n/6P1/1R5K w – – 0 1
Monday afternoon chess tactic
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White to move. Which side is better? What should White do?
r6k/2p4p/2p2rpq/p3p3/2B1P3/1QB2P1n/6P1/1R5K w – – 0 1
1.Qb8+ comes to mind. Black cannot take the queen (as that would lose by force to Rxb8+ and Rg8#) but would have to play 1…Kg7 instead. I do not see anything wrong with now simply 2.Qxa8 as black’s discovered check does not seem to be too dangerous.
Beelze
White is better.
I would start with be5 threatening rook……..
Black does not seriously threaten white king.
White seems to have a mating attack
with Qg8+
Black’s best defense seems to be:
… Qf8
and after Q exchange white takes the N on h3 to have 2R vs 2B + R ending
So White seems better
Qb8 wins
1. Qb8+ wins immediately, e.g.
1. Qb8+ Qf8
2. Be5.
1. Qb8+ Rxb8
2. Rxb8+ Qf8
3. Qxf8 Rxf8
4. Bxe5 1-0
Hmmm, I must be missing something since I don’t see any significant threat from black: 1… Nf2++ 2.Kg1 doesn’t seem to lead anywhere and the other discovered check doesn’t either. Meanwhile white’s 1. Bxe5 looks like it leads to mate.
1. Qb8+ Rxb8
2. Rxb8+ Kg7
3. Rg8#
1. Qb8+ ends at least with a won end game.
1. -, Rxb8 ends in quick mate after 2. Rxb8+ and now
2. -, Kg7 3. Rg8#
2. -, Rf8 3. Bxe5+, Qg7 4. Rxf8#
2. -, Qf8 3. Rxf8+, Rxf8 4. Bxe5+
If 1. -, Rf8 2. Bxe5+, Qg7 3. Bxg7+ and 4. Qxc7+ wins simply.
Best try may be 1. -, Qf8 but after 2. Bxe5! white ends with a light piece up as 2. -, Rxb8 3. Rxb8, Qxb8?? fails to 4. Bxf6#.
E.g. 2. -, Kg7 3. Qxf8+ (maybe Qxc7+ is even stronger here but Qxf8 should end without black having any chances after the queen exchange and I am too tired now to calculate everything out), Rxf8 4. gxh3
Best wishes
Jochen
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