White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Practical chess tactic
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
The best I can find here is 1.Nc5, but I definitely feel like I am missing something here. 1.Nc5 only suggests itself because it threatens a mate that starts with Be6+, but black can parry this threat a number of ways, and I don’t know what is best, but I suspect he has to give up the exchange to do so:
1. Nc5 Be7 (alternatives below)
2. Be6 Ke5 (Kf6 3.Ne4 Ke6 4.Nd2)
3. f4 Kf6 (Kd4 4.Nb3 Kc3 5.Nd2)
4. Ne4 Ke6
5. Nd2 should win for white.
At move 1, black might try to cover the e6 square with the rook which has the added benefit of getting the rook off of a dark square where it might be forked by the knight on it’s next move:
1. Nc5 Re2
2. Bc4 Re1
3. Bd3 Ke5
4. Nd7 Ke6
5. Nf6 Kf6
6. Rh4 wins a full piece.
Lastly, black might try moving the king at move 1, but this is no better than 1. …Re1 in my opinion:
1. Nc5 Ke5
2. Nd7 Kf5
3. Nf6 and the black knight is again unprotected.
1.Nc5 Be7
2.Be6+ Ke5
3.f4+ Kf6
4.Ne4+ Kxe6
5.Nxd2 and White has an advantage over Black
1 Nc5 !