White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Bxf7 certainly asks to be looked at since it removes one of the defenders of e6:
1. Bf7 Rh1 (alternatives later)
2. Ne6 Kh6
Here, Kh8 is a quick mate starting with Qxe5. Better might actually be to take at e6 right now, but white will have a commanding material edge after the smoke clears. Continuing:
3. Kh1 Be4
4. Re4 Qf7 (threat was Qh5#)
5. Nd4 wins.
Back at move 1, black can’t take at f7 successfully:
1. Bf7 Nf7
2. Rg4 Ng5 (Kf8 3.Rh8#)
3. Rg5 and mate can’t be prevented. Or
1. …..Qf7
2. Qe5 with an unstoppable mate coming.
Now, black might try a move like Rd6:
1. Bf7 Rd6
But I think white can just exchange at h8 and then play Ne6 anyway (or transpose the moves):
2. Rh8 Kh8 (what else better?)
3. Ne6! Re6 (Qh5/h3 was threat)
4. Be6 is clearly won, though I don’t see a clear cut mate just right now, but it is probably there somewhere.
Not at all sure about this! Basically…
1. Bxf7 to get e6 for N
if 1….Rxh1 2. Ne6+
if 1….Nxf7 2. Ne6+
0-0-0
-0-0-
I notice that white is up whith 2 pawns, that logically should be enough to win if white can defend his position well.
The weakest pieces in white’s position are b4 and Nc5.
A weak piece in black’s position is Ne5, it depends on queens protection.
And f7, it depends on N’s protection, and is wulnerable to bindings if black king starts running.
Black will not do any move allowing an exchange of pieces, since white is up with 2 pawns!
A white piece looking “unemployed” is Rh1.
Therefore I like Rh4!
1. Rh4 Rxb4
1. … Ng6 2. Rhg4 must loose f-pawn. I have difficulties finding a good move for black, but I may be overlooking something…
2. Rhg4+ Kf8 (Nxg4 Qxg4+ Kf8 Rxf7+ Qxf7 Bxf7 Kxf7 is Q+N+3p vs. 2R+B+1p, game is soon over.)
3. Ne6+! Ke8 (I wondered what that knight was for. Qxe6? Qxe6)
4. Qxe5!
With continued binding of f7, now due to bishop.
I like this position very much!
Now white plans Qb8+ with further exchange of pieces.
1. Bxf7 is the correct first move. Here it is worked out in more detail than I’m sure anyone wants to look at! But some of the variations are well worth
looking at. Black has a bunch of choices after 1. Bxf7: .. Rd6, ..Rxh1, .. Qxf7, ..Nxf7, Bxe4+
1. Bxf7 Rd6 2. Ne6+ Rxe6
(2. .. Qxe6 3. Bxe6 Rxe6 4. Rxh8 Ng6 (4. .. Kxh8 5. Qf8+ Kh7 6. Rh4+ Kg6 7. Rh6+ Kg5 8. Qf4#) 5. Rg8+ Kxg8 6. Qxe6+ Kh7 7. Rg4 Nf4+ 8. gxf4 Bxe4+ 9. Qxe4+ Kh8 10. Qd4+ Kh7 11. Qg7#)
3. Rxh8 Bxe4+
(3. .. Kxh8 4. Bxe6 Nd3 5. Rh4+ Qxh4 (5. .. Kg7 6. Rh7#) 6. Qf8+ Kh7 7. Bf5#)
4. Rxe4 Kxh8 5. Bxe6 Qb7 6. Qf8+ Kh7 7. Bf5+ Ng6 8. Kg1 Qxe4 9. Qf7+ Kh8 10. Bxe4 Ne7 11. Qh7#
1. Bxf7 Rxh1 2. Rg4+ Nxg4
(2. .. Kh6 3. Rg6+ Kh7 4. Rg8+ Kh6 5. Rh8+ Kg7 6. Ne6+ Kxh8 (6. .. Qxe6 7. Rg8+ Kh6 8. Qg5+ Kh7 9. Qg7#) 7. Qxe5+ Kh7 (7. .. Qf6 8. Qxf6+ Kh7 9. Qg7#) 8. Qg7#)
(2. .. Kf8 3. Rg8#)
(2. .. Kh8 3. Rg8#)
3. Qg6+ Kf8
(3. .. Kh8 4. Qg8#)
4. Qg8#
1. Bxf7 Qxf7 2. Qxe5+ Kg8
(2. .. Kf8 3. Rxh8#)
(2. .. Kg6 3. Rg4#)
(2. .. Qf6 3. Qxf6+ Kg8 4. Qf7#)
3. Rxh8#
1. Bxf7 Nxf7 2. Rg4+ Ng5
(2. .. Kf8 3. Rxh8#)
(2. .. Qg5 3. Ne6+ Kg8 4. Rxg5+ Nxg5 5. Qf8#)
3. Rxg5+ Qxg5 4. Ne6+ Kg8 5. Qf8#
1. Bxf7 Bxe4+ 2. Nxe4 Nxf7
(2. .. Rd6 3. Nxd6 Qxd6 4. Qg5+ Ng6 (4. .. Kf8 5. Rxh8#) (4. .. Qg6 5. Qxe5+ Kf8 6. Rxh8+ Qg8 7. Bxg8#) 5. Rxh8 Qc6+ (5. .. Kxh8 6.
Qh6#) 6. Kh2)
3. Rg4+ Ng5
(3. .. Kf8 4. Rxh8#)
4. Rxg5+ Qxg5 5. Nxg5 Rxh1 6. Ne6+ Kg8 7. Qg6+ Kh8 8. Qg7#
If anyone is interested in one more variation, there is one where black can hold out for 12 moves:
1. Bxf7 Rd6
2. Rxh8 Kxh8
3. Ne6 Rxe6
4. Bxe6 Bxe4+
5. Rxe4 Qb7
6. Qxe5+ Kh7
7. Qf5+ Kg7
8. Qg5+ Kf8
9. Qf6+ Ke8
10. Bd5+ Kd7
11. Re7+ Kc8
12. Qf8#