White to move. How should white proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Overnight chess tactic
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Nxf6 does the trick.
If gxf6, Qh5+ and mate with the Q on the next move.
If Ke7, Ng7+ and mate with the Q next move.
IF Kf8, Nxh7+ and mate with the Q next move.
Black is threatening Qa2 followed by mate, so white must be looking for a check here. Only the two knight checks look reasonable at a glance. Of these two, only Nf6 seems to have any purpose at all- to prevent g6 if white subsequently plays Qh5. As it turns out, it also helps win if black declines the knight:
1. Nf6 gf6
No better is Kf8 or Ke7: [1. …Kf8 2.Ng4 any move 3.Qf7#]; or [1. …Ke7 2.Ng8! any move 3.Qf7#]. Continuing:
2. Qh5! followed by Qf7#.
There’s more than one variation. Here’s mine: 1.Nxf6+ gxf6 2.Qh5+ Kf8 3.Qf7#
1.Nxf6+ gxf6
2.Qh5+ Ke7
3.Qf7#
or
1.Nxf6+ Ke7
2.Ng8+ Rxg8
3.Qf7#
Nxf6+, of course
!Nf6+ mate in both variation.
(1) Nxf6+ Ke7
If (1)….. gxf6
(2) Qh5+ K moves
(3) Qf7 mate
(2) Ng8+ Ke8 or Rxg8
(3) Qf7 mate.
Nf6+
Nxf6+ followed by Qh5+ naturally suggests itself.
1. Nxf6+ gxf6 or [1. … Ke7 2. Ng8+ followed by 3. Qf7#]
or [1. … Kf8 2. Ne4+ followed by 3. Qf7#]
2. Qh5+ K moves
3. Qf7#
N#f6 checks looks pretty simple to me. Maybe I’m missing something.
This is a mate in 3 starting with
1.Nxf6+
Black has 3 options –
a)
1…Kf8
2.Ng5+ any
3.Qf7#
b)
1…Ke7
2.Ng8+ any
3.Qf7#
c)
1…gxf6
2.Qh5+ any
3.Qf7#
Interesting thing is that first and last move of white are same in all 3 variations!
Hi Susan Polgar,
Nf6+ best
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]