White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
I think 1.Ng5 is most forcing move due to the threat of Qh7. I think white should win with 1.Ne5, too, but in that line black wouldn’t be forced to capture the knight or the g7 pawn immediately, and could play a move like Bd4 which will defend a little better, though I don’t see a saving defense in that line either.
1. Ng5 Rg7
The main alternative is the capture at g5, but the opening of the f-file is still death, but might be better than Rg7, I just haven’t looked too deeply: [1. …fg5 2.Rf8! Rf8 (or 2. …Kg7 3.Re8 Re8 4.Qe8+-) 3.gf8Q Kf8 4.Rd8! Re8 (or 4. …Kg7 5.Qg5 Kf7 6.Qg8 Kf6 7.Rf8 Rf7 8.Rf7#) 5.Qe8+-]. Also, if black pushes the h-pawn, white just captures at f6 with the rook with an overwhelming attack. Continuing:
2. Qe8 Bf8
3. Qc8 and white is up a good rook.
Nxe5 and rooks down the file.
Nxe5, then rooks down the file.
Nxe5, then rooks down the file.
I’ve considered first, as usual, the wildest and even zaniest continuations. Qxh7+, Qxe8+, and n-sac on e5.
My first concrete line went like this:
1.Nxe5 fxe5
2.Rf8+ Rxf8
3.Qxh7+ Kxh7
4.gxf8Q and what?
Interverting moves do help, once more, and here it goes.
1.Nxe5 fxe5
2.Rf8+ Rxf8
3.gxf8Q+ Kxf8
4.Rd8+ wins
But, but, but, if black play 1…Kxg7 ? We don’t have any good check (f7 and g6 are protected) and “Bonny and Clyde” hit the air.
Enhancing the variation, we come to the solution:
1.Ng5! fxg5 (If 1…Kxg7 2.Qxh7+ Kf8 3.Qh8#)
2.Rf8+ Rxf8 (if 2…Kxg7 3.Rxe8 wins the exchange with attack)
3.gxf8Q+ Kxf8
4.Rd8+ and the bishop c8 is lost.
1. Ng5! fxg5
2. Rf8+ Rxf8
3. gxf8+ Kxf8
4. Rd8+ Kg7
5. Qg5+ Kf7
6. Qg8+ Kf6
7. Rf8 mates
Ng5 threatens mate next move, therefore
1. Ng5 fxg5
2. Rf8+ (a) Rxf8
3. gxf8/Q+ Kxf8
4. Rf1+ Kg8
5. Qxg5+ (a1) Rg7
6. Qd8+ Bf8
7. Qxf8#
5. … (a2) Kh8
6. Rf8#
2. …. (b) Kxg7
3. Rxe8 Rxe8
4. Qxe8 White has effectively traded knight for rook, and will take the bishop next move.
Mark
1. Ng5, for if fg 2. Rf8+ R:f8 3. gfQ+ K:f8 4. Rd8+ with a mating attack.
Ne5 should win, but there is a better move because it forces black’s hand more quickly.
Ng5 fxg5
Rf8+ Rxf8
gxf8+ Kxf8
Rf1+ …
I am assuming Yancey is referring to Ng5. No time to do a fuller analysis, but it does look to me as if black loses faster in this variation.
1Ng5
1…. fxg5 is handled to death by Haridaran
1…. Rxg7
1… h6 Rxf6 white is one step ahead in my main variation
2Qxe8+ Bf8
3Rd8 Qe7
4Qxe7 Rxe7
5Rxf6 with overwheming position.
White N is beautifully positioned at c3 making black Q’s access to e8 impossible.
In the line 1.Ne5 Kg7, Cortex seemed to suggest white comes a crapper, but I don’t think so:
1. Ne5 Kg7
2. Rf6!
I think white wins with the more prosaic Rf3 or Rd3, too, planning on doubling rooks on the f-file, and, of course, white should win with the even more ordinary knight fork on from c6 since black will have either the c8 bishop or the e8 rook en prise after the continuation of 2. …Qb2 3.Ne7 RorBxe7. However, 2.Rf6 just busts black up immediately because mate is almost certain to follow:
2. …..Kf6 (variations below)
3. Qh6!
I am certain 3.Rf1 mates, too, but this is a few moves quicker:
3. …..Ke5
4. Qg5#
So, black cannot capture at f6 at move 2, but this means nothing can stop the mate, in my opinion:
2. …..Be3 (Rf8 3.Qg5 Kh8 4.Rf8#)
3. Rdf1 and there are no adequate defenses to the multitude of threats. Or:
2. …..Kg8
3. Rf7 Rf7 (nothing better)
4. Qf7 Kh8
5. Qe8+-
Or:
2. …..Kh8
3. Ng6 Kg7
4. Ne7 Kf6 (Be7 5.Rf7; Re7 5.Qh6)
5. Qh4 Kg7 (Kf7 6.Rf1 Kg7 7.Qf6#)
6. Qg5 with mate to follow.
The best defense for black comes at move 1, but it will lose, too:
1. Ne5 Bd4
2. Rf6!
The same move as above. I will just cover the line 2. …Be5 since any other move is just variations of what I have shown previously:
2. …..Be5
3. Rf8 Rf8
No better is Kg7: [3. …Kg7 4.Qe5 Kf8 5.Qh8 Kf7 6.Rf1 Kg6 7.Qf6 Kh5 8.Rf4 and the mate of Rh4 can only be delayed, not stopped]. Continuing:
4. gf8Q Kf8
5. Rd8 Re8 (Kg7 6.Qg5 Kf7 7.Qg8+-)
6. Re8 Kg7
7. Qe5 and mate can’t be far off.
I have to admit that Ne5 and Ng5 are likely equivalent, now. Yesterday, I didn’t go this deep on 1.Ne5, but I am having a hard time calling it worse than 1.Ng5 having done so.
In the line 1.Ne5 Kg7, Cortex seemed to suggest white comes a crapper, but I don’t think so:
1. Ne5 Kg7
2. Rf6!
I think white wins with the more prosaic Rf3 or Rd3, too, planning on doubling rooks on the f-file, and, of course, white should win with the even more ordinary knight fork on from c6 since black will have either the c8 bishop or the e8 rook en prise after the continuation of 2. …Qb2 3.Ne7 RorBxe7. However, 2.Rf6 just busts black up immediately because mate is almost certain to follow:
2. …..Kf6 (variations below)
3. Qh6!
I am certain 3.Rf1 mates, too, but this is a few moves quicker:
3. …..Ke5
4. Qg5#
So, black cannot capture at f6 at move 2, but this means nothing can stop the mate, in my opinion:
2. …..Be3 (Rf8 3.Qg5 Kh8 4.Rf8#)
3. Rdf1 and there are no adequate defenses to the multitude of threats. Or:
2. …..Kg8
3. Rf7 Rf7 (nothing better)
4. Qf7 Kh8
5. Qe8+-
Or:
2. …..Kh8
3. Ng6 Kg7
4. Ne7 Kf6 (Be7 5.Rf7; Re7 5.Qh6)
5. Qh4 Kg7 (Kf7 6.Rf1 Kg7 7.Qf6#)
6. Qg5 with mate to follow.
The best defense for black comes at move 1, but it will lose, too:
1. Ne5 Bd4
2. Rf6!
The same move as above. I will just cover the line 2. …Be5 since any other move is just variations of what I have shown previously:
2. …..Be5
3. Rf8 Rf8
No better is Kg7: [3. …Kg7 4.Qe5 Kf8 5.Qh8 Kf7 6.Rf1 Kg6 7.Qf6 Kh5 8.Rf4 and the mate of Rh4 can only be delayed, not stopped]. Continuing:
4. gf8Q Kf8
5. Rd8 Re8 (Kg7 6.Qg5 Kf7 7.Qg8+-)
6. Re8 Kg7
7. Qe5 and mate can’t be far off.
I have to admit that Ne5 and Ng5 are likely equivalent, now. Yesterday, I didn’t go this deep on 1.Ne5, but I am having a hard time calling it worse than 1.Ng5 having done so.