White to move. How should White proceed?
This position comes from a possible variation in the Topalov – Ivanchuk Morelia game.
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Monday chess tactic
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1. Ne4!
1. … Rc2+ 2. Kd3 Rg2/h2 Rook is out of black king’s defense 3. Rc1 Qb7 4.Qa8+ Qxa8 5. Rxa8+ Nb8 6. Rxb8+ Kd7 Rxh8
1. … Rc4 2. Rc1 Rxc1 3.Rxc1 Qxc1 4. Qa8+ Nb8 5. Qxb8 Ke7 6. Qxh8 and I’m not sure black can give perpetual checks.
Other move looks like Rook is completely lost or black king gets mated
1. … Rc7 2. Bxc7 Qxc7 3. Qa8+ Nb8 4. Rxb8+ Kd7
QxN looks like the move to me.
I agree with the first anon, except that on his second line where 6.Qxh8 spoils the fun, since black could reply with 6…Qc2+ and black wins back the piece on b6, and the position is not so clear…
So,
1.Ne4! Rc4 (1…Rc2+ or 1…Rc7 still loses for black as first anon demonstrated above.)
2.Rc1 Rxc1
3.Rxc1 Qxc1
4.Qa8+ Nb8
5.Qxb8+ Ke7
And now,
6.Nc5+! and black has to relinquish his queen to prevent mate.
Well, that was my two cents…
–Henryk
Rc1 Rc1, Qc1 Qa8, Nb8 Qb8, Kd7 Nc5, wins- as Topalov knew because he had the position after Nc5+ on his computer at home prior to the game.
Topalov- most theoretically prepared person on the planet.
Daniel Miller Virginia USA
Black perhaps can defend after
1. Rc1 O-O
because
2. Rxc3 Qxc3
3. Qxd7 Qxa1
4. Qxe7 Qa6+
doesn’t work for white.
After 1.Na4 0-0!? 2.Nc3 Nb6 black is still in the game, although white is better