White to move. How should White proceed?
3k4/5pb1/2P5/pN5P/1p2p3/1P3p2/1P6/4K3 w – – 0 1
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White to move. How should White proceed?
3k4/5pb1/2P5/pN5P/1p2p3/1P3p2/1P6/4K3 w – – 0 1
1.c7+ Kd7 2.Nd6! Kxc7 3.Ne8+ K any 4.Nxg7 wins.
Nd6!
I was initially tempted by
1. c7 Kd7
2. Nd6 Kc7 (forced)
3. Nf7 Kd7
4. h6 Bb2
5. h7 Ke7
6. h8 Bh8
7. Nh8 Kf6 should win the knight and the game for black. So, white needs another strategy, preferably one with an extra tempo.
1. Nd6 Kc7 (forced, I think)
2. Nf7 Kc6
3. h6 Bb2
4. h7 Kd7
5. h8 Bh8
6. Nh8 and now black can’t corner the knight. I really don’t see other options for black that work as a defense:
1. Nd6 Bb2
2. h6 Kc7 (Ke7 3. c7 wins)
3. Nf7 Bc3
4. Kf1 Kc6
5. h7 ends the same way as the previous line, and
1. Nd6 Be5 loses to a knight fork at f7
Thank you! More tactics to be studied. ^_^
Nd6 and Kc7 rejected by Ne8+ forking K and B.
Bf8 and Nxxf7. Black cannot stop both passed pawns.
Inaccurate is 1.Nd6 (recommended by Anonymous above) because of 1…Bxb2! Correct is 1.c7+ Kd7 (or 1…Kc8 2.Nd6+ Kxc7 3.Ne8+ and 4.Nxg7) 2.Nd6! Kxc7 3.Ne8+ and White’s passed h-pawn decides the game.
Better is 1.C7+, kd7 or C8, 2.Nd6, KxC7, 3.Ne8+ forking the Bishop. If 1.Nd6, black is not forced to play Kc7, he can play his Bishop and avoid the fork.
1. c7+ Kd7
(1. …Kc8 2. Nd6+ Kxc7 3. Ne8+ followed by 4. Nxg7)
2. Nd6! Kxc7
3. Ne8+ followed by 4. Nxg7
1. c7+ Kc8
2. Nd6+ Kxc7
3. Ne8+ Kd7
4. Nxg7
1.c7+ first ! Kd7
2.Nd6, etc.
1. c7+ Kd7
(if 1. …Kc8 2. Nd6+ Kxc7 3. Ne8+ followed by 4. Nxg7)
2. Nd6! Kxc7
3. Ne8+ followed by 4. Nxg7