White to move and win.
Source: ChessToday.net
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Precision required
White to move and win.
Source: ChessToday.net
Looking at the two obvious candidates, 1. Rh6 and 1. Rgg5, it appears that 1. Rgg5 allows 1…Rh1+ 2. K:h1 Rc1+ 3. Kh2 Rr1+ and stalemate.
I think Rh6 is necessary, to leave the square g3 unguarded by a white rook. The point is that if, for example, Rgh5, black can sac both rooks on h1 for stalemate.
After Rh6, mate in one is threatened and can only be avoided by giving up at least a rook
rg5 1-0
Precision?
I see an easy win after Rh6. How can Black stop Rxh5 mate? I dont see any way.
1. Rh6! Rh1+! (What else)
2. Kxh1 Kg3! (threatening Rc1 mate)
3. Rg5+ 1-0
rg5 or h6 1-0 …….rxh5
1. Rh6! 1-0
(1. Rg5, Rxg2+! … )
Rg5 falls into : …Rh1+, Kxh1 Rc1+, Kh2 Rh1+, Kxh1 and stalemate
Rg5 falls into : …Rh1+, Kxh1 Rc1+, Kh2 Rh1+, Kxh1 and stalemate
Rg5 falls into : …Rh1+, Kxh1 Rc1+, Kh2 Rh1+, Kxh1 and stalemate
1. Rh6 threatening Rdxh5 or Rhxh5#
solution can’t be 1. Rhg5 or Rgg5
as 1. Rh1+
2. Kxh1 Rc1+
3. Kh2 Rh1+ leads to stalemate!
Rg5 is not the move because of Rh1 and stalemate. The correct move is Rh6!
Andres R.
To A.E.Formoso
rg5 is draw
The problem for white is the stalemate theme- the black king is trapped on one square, both of his pawns are immobile. The “obvious” Rgg5 can only draw because black will sacrifice both rooks at h1:
1. Rgg5 Rh1!
2. Kh1 Rc1!
3. Kh2 Rh1! and black will be stalemated
My only thought is to move the rook off of the g-file so that the black king always has g3 available for his king, but where move the rook? White would love to be able to play g3#, so this suggests 1.Rc6 as a forcing first move since the rook is immune due to the mate threat of g3:
1. Rc6 Rg1 (alternatives below)
2. Rh5
Here, Kg1 should win, too, but Rh5 wins a pawn to boot. Continuing:
2. …..Kh5
3. Rc2 with a four pawn advantage, and an easy win.
At move 1, I can’t find a defense that holds for black:
1. Rc6 Rh1
2. Kh1 Rc6
3. Kh2
Just to foreclose any thoughts black might have of mating on the back rank by first playing a move like Kg3. However, white must still be careful not to let black force a stalemate:
3. …..Rc2 (preventing g3#)
4. f5!
The best I can find for white. Black was threatening Rxg2 followed by Kxh3 to get some counterplay if white had taken at a5 on move 4. By playing f5 and giving the black king the g5 square, there is no stalemate if white retakes at g2 if black captures there. Now, white will capture at a5 and h5 and have a easily won ending.
Finally, the last alternative at move 1 for black:
1. Rc6 Rbb2
2. Rc2 Rc2
3. f5! with the same position as above.
And
1. Rc6 Rf2 (or Ra2/d2 etc)
2. Rcc5 and because of the hole at g3, black can no longer force a stalemate by sacrificing one or both rooks.
Of course, I can now see that Rh6 is an even better move, since the other commenters have suggested it.:)
1.Rh6 only leads to a stalemate!
1…..Rh1 ch, 2.Kxh1 Rc1 ch!(instead of Kg3) 3.Kh2 Rh1 ch !Stalemate.
It seems Mr Ward’s suggestion 1.Rc6 will work.
(Mathur)