White to move. How do you assess this position? How should White proceed?
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White to move. How do you assess this position? How should White proceed?
1. Qf6
1..Kh6
2. Nd4 followed by 3. Nf5 and white is winning.
1.. Kg8
2. e6 is winning.
In response to abarbanel’s comment, I feel that after 1…Kg8, e6 is not winning because fxe6 and if White replies with dxe6, Qf5! Instead if dxe6, if White plays Qxe6, it achieves nothing as Black has the resources like Bg7 and Qf5. Since Black’s key move is Qf5, perhaps White should play Nd4 first to pre-empt Qf5.
Also, after Kh6, all Black has to do is to keep the queen along the b1-h7 diagonal to deter Nd4/Nf5.
Thus,
1. Nd4 Qd3 (threatening Qf5 and Qxd4)
2. Qf6+ Kh6 (with perpetual)
However if Black playes Kd8 to avoid perpetual (A losing move I think) then White can play e6, threatening exf7++. Now Black has no Qf5 at its disposal.
Bg7 loses to exf7+ and e8=Q thanks to the a1-h8 pin.Thus, the only move will have to be h6/h5(I think). White will then reply with exf7+, Kh7 Ne6. Threatening Ndxf8+ and Qg7++
Please correct me if you spot any mistake in my analysis. A lengthy analysis.
Following the discussion above, I still persist that White is winning with 1. Qf6. Let me elaborate please: 1..Kg8
2. e6 fxe6
white has the resource of:
3. Nxf8 with a piece up, at least. Because if 3…Rxf8 than 4. Ne7 check mate. And if 3..Bb7xNc6 than 4. Nxe6 is nailing the coffin. The threat of 5. Qg7 mate is too much for black to handle and on 5.. Rc7 , white simply replies: 6. Nxc7
The idea of Qf5 is a good defensive resource for black. However , White, with tactical threats, as we saw above, can undermine this defensive resource of black.
Now I need to elaborate on white’s continuation after 1. Qf6 Kh6.
Here I admit that your analysis was right and mine was at best insufficient. However, after futher thought, I am still quite convinced of 1. Qf6 being a winning idea. here it goes:
1.. Kh6
2. Qh4 check Kg7 is forced but leads to nowhere: 2. Nf6 h5. Or 2. g4 and still 2.. h5 slows white’s threats.
Therefore i think that best is on 1.. Kh6 2. g4 and black can reply ,for instance, 2..Bb7xNc6. Now 3. g5 check and Kh5 is forced. The black king goes for a trip in the open.
4. Qf4 is decisive. 4..Qf5 loses to 5. Nf6 mate. And on
4… Be7 comes 5. Qg4 mate
Nd4 looks very good but black has such a big material advantage (and the advanced pawns) so perhaps he can even sacrifice the queen.
Perhaps 1. Nd4! dxe5 2. Qxe5+ (Nxe5? Bxd5 and I like black’s position with R+PPP vs .Q) Kg8 (white can play Nf6-h5-f6… with perpetual here) 3. Nxc2 Bg7
I’m not quite sure if black is really lost, e.g. 4. Nf6+, BxN 5. QxB, Bxd5 6. Nxa3, b4
Perhaps better is 3. Nf6+ Kh8 but white has no good move with his knight (black answers Bg7 which also attacks the field a1 to help the a-pawn; or, if white plays Ne8/h5+ to prevent Bg7 black can play Kg8 and white has nothing better then perpetual because the knight on h5/e8 does help even less against the pawns).
Just my 17 Cents. Perhaps my proposal is just garbage.
Greetings,
Jochen
Hi. I need to make some changes to my previous analysis. Say…
1. Qf6+ e6
I mentioned that Bg7 loses to exf7+ and f8=Q++. It is a mistake.
After 2.e6, Black should continue with Bg7, because after exf7+ Kh8 f8=Q+ Rxf8!!!(I missed this move, sorry about that)
In response to abarbanel’s comment,after Kg8 I still think that e6 is not winning thanks to Bg7. As to…
1. Qf6+ Kh6
2. g4(I feel that this move doesn’t win, because of Qd2, threatening Qg5, and keeping an eye on f2)
3. h4 Bxc6
4. Kg3(threatening g5+ and Qf3++) Black will then respond with Qc3+)
5. Kh2 Bxd5(threatening Qf3 and Qg2++)
If 5. f3, 5… Bxd7 and Black wins.
I think that after Qf6, Black should play Kg8 to strive for a win. Somehow, I feel that White can win in all lines…