White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
1. Ba5 bxa5 2. b6
1. Ba5
and if
1 … ba
then b6, b7, b8=Q cannot be stopped since the N is trapped
and if
1 … Bg3
2 Bc7 Be1 (hoping for 3. b6 Ba5, which at least prolongs matters)
3 B:d6
and with two pawns up and the pawn at a4 to be plucked at leisure, White wins.
1. Ba5! bxa5 2. b6 1-0. Black knight can’t pass through d7 to prevent white from getting a Queen.
Ba5
Like with many problems, I would not be able to spot this in a game. Knowing that White can win, makes it easier to spot the win!
1. Ba5!! 1-0 (wins a piece at least)
1. Ba5!! Bg3
2. Bxb6 Be1
3. Ba7 Ba5
4. b6 Bxb6
5. Bxb6 1-0
1. Ba5!! bxa5??
2. b6 1-0 (cannot stop pawn from queening)
Ba5
After Ba5, there is not much that black can do :
– Taking the bishop allows white to push her b pawn towards promotion, as black’s pieces are in no position to intercept it.
– Not taking the bishop allows white to penetrate with devastating effect by playing Bxb6. Black’s best try, then, might be to sacrifice her knight on g7, so as to activate her king. But that’s really desperate and would not save the situation.
ba5 wins
Ba5
1. Be6+! Kh8 (alternative below)
Knight immobile, f6 is attack point.
2. Ke4 Bg3 (Bh4? Kf5 is zugzwang, Bd4? Bxd4 cxd4 Kxd4 is fatal loss of c pawn)
3. Kf5 Bh4
4. Bf7! (ZZ) Bf2 (Nd7 Ke6 Nb8 looks bad)
5. Bxf6! gxf6
6. Kxf6
looks winning for white.
1. … Nxe6?
2. exc6 Kf8
3. f5!
Don’t allow f5 from black.
3. … Ke7
4. Ke4
Intending Kd5 and Kc6, either b6 pawn is lost, or e pawn queens, black bishop is stuck, white wins easily.
Ba5 bxa5
b6… and nothing can stop the pawn from promoting. Knight is cut by the white bishop, and black bishop is cut by his own pawns.
Fc3-a5
1.Ba5!!
1…bxa5 2.b6
1…Bd4 2.Bxb6 Bb2 3.Bxc5! dxc5 4.b6 Bxa3 5.Kc2
I didn’t notice the first move more than two hours!
Ba5 looks devastating
1. Ba5
If
1. … bxa5
then
2. b6
The b6 pawn is unstoppable:
Otherwise
2. Bxb6
3. Bc7
4. Bxd6 or b6
etc.
Ba5
Ba5 wins.
Ba5 almost without thinking about it (but I did take glance at Bxf6 first). In any case, black can capture at a5 or not, but I don’t see it making any difference:
1. Ba5 ba5
2. b6 Be1 (what else?)
3. b7 and black’s counterplay is way too late. Or:
1. Ba5 Bg6
2. Bb6 Bf5
3. Ba5 and, again, black’s counterplay is going to come far too late.
Ba5 looks like it wins easily enough.
1.Be6+!
Now there are two moves for black. 1…Nxe6 2.dxN Kf8 3.Ba5!! If, 3…bxB 4.b6 and the pawn promotes with a check. Any other moves are a wastage of time.
If, 3…Bd4 transposes as follows.
1…Kh8 2.Ba5 Bd4 3.Bxb6 Bb2 4.Ba5 Bxa3 5.b6 Bb3 6.BxB cxB 7.b7 a3 8.b8=Q also wins.