White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Monday chess tactic
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
The rook sacrifice at b7 plays itself:
1. Rb7
There are mates here, and big material advantages on every possible move for black. The realistic options here Ke8, Kg8, Kg6, and Nb7. Moves to block the check with Nd7 or Be7 are still mates after the rook takes each piece. Taking each in order:
1. …..Nb7
2. Nh6
I am not sure there is a winning move for white in this line but Nh6+. I worked for a while on Qb7, but just can’t find a way to hold for white-for example: [2.Qb7 Kg8 3.Qa8 (3.Ne7 Be7 4.Qa8 Bf8)Qc5 and black takes the knight on the next move stopping white’s attack]. Nor could I make 2.Nd6 work, but it is hairy for black and I had high hopes for this line for quite a time: [2.Nd6 Nd6 (only move, I think but good enough) 3.fe5 Kg6 (only move?) 4.Qe6 Kg5 5.ed6 (5.h4 Kh5 6.g4 Kh4) Qc5 6.Kh1 Bd6 7.h4 Kh4 8.Qh3 (what else is really different?) Kg5 and, eventually, it is likely that black will have a way to hide the king and make use of his extra two pieces]. Continuing:
2. …..gh6
Worse is Ke8 and Kg6: [Ke8 3.Qe6 with mate to follow], or [Kg6 3.Qe6 Kh5 4.g4#]. Continuing:
3. fe5 Kg7
Every possible move is mate: [Kg6 4.Qe6 Kh5 (Kg7 5.Qf7#; Kg5 5.Qf5 Kh4 6.Rf4#) 5.g4 Kg5 6.Qf5 Kh4 7.Qh5#]; or [Kg8 4.Qe6 Kg7 5.Qf7#]; and we have already seen a variation of Ke8 above. Continuing:
4. Bh6 Kh6
If [Kg8 5.Qe6#]; or [Kg6 5.Qe6 Kh5 6.Rf5 Kg4 (Kh4 7.Qf6 Kg4 8.Qg5#) 7.Rg5 Kf4 (Kh4 8.Qg4#) 8.Rg4#]. Continuing:
5. Qe6 Kg5
Again, no better are [Kg7 6.Qf6 Kg8 7.Qf7#]; or [Kh5 6.Qf5 Kh6 (Kh4 7.Rf4#) 7.Qf6 Kh5 8.Rf5 Kg4 9.Qg5#]. Continuing:
6. Qf6 Kg4 (Kh5 see above)
7. Rf4 Kh5
8. Rh4#
The alternatives for black at move 1 are the king moves Ke8, Kg8, and Kg6. In order:
1. …..Ke8
2. Qc6 Nd7
Here, Bd7 is just as bad if not worse: [Bd7 3.Rd7 Nd7 (else mate is coming) 4.Qc3 (there may be better lines for white than this, but I have to be quick this afternoon]. Continuing:
3. Qc3 Bf5
4. fe5 and white has massive material edge.
Or
1. …..Kg8
2. Rg7
I literally can’t find another continuation for white here, but it does look good to me:
2. …..Bg7
3. Ne7 Kf7 (Kf8 4.Qa8 Kf7 5.fe5)
4. fe5 Ke8 (or lose material)
5. Qa8 Kd7
6. Qc6 Kd8
7. Nd5 with unstoppable mate.
Or, finally, the prettiest of all:
1. …..Kg6
2. Nh4 Kh5
3. g4 Bg4 (Kg4 4.Qd1 Kh3 5.Rf3)
4. Qf7 g6
5. Qh7! Rh7 (Bh6 6.Qg6#)
6. Rh7 Bh6
7. Rh6#
So, white wins with 1.Rb7. Black probably does best to take with the knight on move 1- there are numerous ways for white to lose his way in that variation since there are a couple of moves at move 2 that look too tempting to pass on, but seem clearly bad for white in the end.
in this kind of position it’s always fun to work out all the possible ways to mate:
1. Rxb2+ Nxb2
2. Nxd6+ Kg8
3. Qxe6#
2. … Kg6
3. Qxe6+ Kh5
4. g4#
2. … Ke8
3. Qxe6+ Be7
4. Qxe7#
2. … Bxd6
3. fxe5+ Kg8
4. Qxe6#
3. … Kg6
4. Qxe6+ Kh5
5. g4#
3. … Ke8
4. Qxe6+ Be7
5. Qxe7#
3. … Kg8
4. Qxe6#
3. … Qf3
4. Rxf3+ Kg8
5. Qxe6#
4. … Kg6
5. Qxe6+ Kh5
6. g4#
4. … Ke8
5. Qxe6+ Be7
6. Qxe7#
1. … Kg6
2. Nh4+ Kh5
3. g4#
of course, if black declines to take the rook, it’s not necessarily such an obvious mate, but could still result in a nice serious of attacking moves like:
1. … Kg8
2. Rxg7+ Bxg7
3. Qxa8+ Bf8
4. Bh6 Nd7
5. Qe8 or
1. … Ke8
2. Re7+ Bxe7
3. Qxa8+ Kd7
4. Qxh8 Bxf5
5. Qxg7 Qe3+
6. Kh1 exf4
7. Bxf4
ok, i admit, this is pure fantasy. it results in winning back the two pawns and having a rook for a bishop. that’s all for tonight. greets, jan
Rxb7+
The variations are quite complex.. the tactics are getitng quite difficult i see..
1.Rxb7+! Kg8 2.Rxg7+!
1.Rxb7+! Kg8 2.Rxg7+!
Rb7+ Kg8
Rg7+ Bxg7
Ne7+ Kf8
fxe5+ Bf5
Rxf5 Bf6
Rxf6 Ke8
Qc6+ Nd7
Qxa8+ Nb8
Qxb8+ Kxe7
Qxd6+ Ke8
Re6+ Kf7
Qe7 Kg8
Qe8+ Kg7
Re7++
this took awhile.. if he takes the rook its an eays mate ina four moves…the hardest variation is when he backs up his king.. thats a very difficult variation
Rxb7 Nxb7
Nh6+ gxh6
fxe5+ Kg6
Qe6+ Kxg5
Qf5+ Kh4
Rf4++
much simpler mate if he takes the rook..
Rxb7 Nxb7
Nh6+ Kg6
Qxe6+ Kh5
g4++
Rxb7 Nxb7
Nh6+ Ke8
Qxe6+ Be7
Qxe7++
heres a couple more variations..
Rxb7 Nxb7
Nh6+ Kg6
Qxe6+ Kh5
g4++
Rxb7 Nxb7
Nh6+ Ke8
Qxe6+ Be7
Qxe7++
heres a couple more variations..
1. Rxb7+ Kg8
2. Rxg7+ Bxg7
3. Ne7+ Kf8 (or Kf7)
4. fxe5+ Ke8
5. Qxa8+ Kd7
6. Qc8#
if 1…. Nxb7
2. Nh6+ gxh6
3. fxe5+ Kg6
4. Qxe6+ Kxg5
5. Rf5+ and black will soon get mated
after 1. Rxb7+ if 1… Ke8
2. Nxg7+ Bxg7
3. Re7+ Kd8
4. Qxa8+ Bc8
5. Rxg7+ wins
I feel this goes about sacking as much as possible, except for queen and one rook, in the right sequence.
Must first deplace blacks night:
1. Rxb7+ Nxb7 (Kg6 Nh4#, Be7 Rxe7)
2. Nh6+ gxh6 (K somewhere Qxe6+)
3. fxe5+ Kg6 (where we wanted it)
4. Qxe6+ Kxg5
5. Rf5+ Kg4/h4
6. Qe4#
Want to mention:
1. Rxb7+ Be7
2. Rxe7+ Kf8
3. Qxd6!
with Rxg7 discovered mate next.