Black to move. How should Black proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Real game chess tactic
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Black to move. How should Black proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Complex position, but White Knight looks takeable. I’ve worked out 3 scenarios that leave Black up a Rook or a Knight. There are more.
All of mine begin:
1. … dxe (the knight)
2. QxQ exf+
Scenario A
3. Kf1 Ne3+
4. Kxf2 NxR+
5. QxN RxQ
Black’s net profit: 1 rook
Scenario B
3. Kh1 f1/Q+
4. RxQ RxQ
Black’s net profit: 1 knight
Scenario C
3. Kg2 Ne3+
4. Kxf2 NxR+
5.QxN RxQ
Black’s net profit: 1 rook
Mark
Something like 1…de! 2.Qd6 ef 3.Kf1(g2) Ne3 4.Ke2(f3) Rd6 5.Rd6 f1Q-+
1…dxe3! 2.Qxd6 exf2+ 3.Kg2 or f1
Ne3+ 4.Kxf2 (4.Ke2 Rxd6 -+) Nxd1+ and 5…Rxd6
My first thought is to take at f2 so that de3 is with check:
1. …..Nf2
2. Kf2 de3+
3. Ke3 Qh6+ will win a queen for a rook. So white must decline the knight at move 2, but this isn’t much better:
2. Qd2 Nd1
3. Nd1 Qc5 and the material advantage and the advanced passed pawn should be more than sufficient for victory.
1. … dxe3
2. Qxd6 e3xf7+
3. Kf1 Rxd6
4. Rxd6 Ne3-+ black comes out a piece ahead.
3. Kg2 falls for the same fork, and if 3. Kh1 then the white R cannot retake on d6 as the f2 pawn will queen with check.
Thanks Susan for another headbreaker! I swear these are not tactics as much as they are problems…you could spend days on these things.
So, I don’t see any clear winning lines. In fact, I’m not sure if it’s even possible for black to draw.
I found two tactical shots that looked really promising, but I found a move for white in both lines that holds.
#1:
1..Nxf2 2.Kxf2 Qh6 3.Kg1 Now what?
#2:
1..Nxf2 2.Kxf2 xe3+ 3.Ke2! This is the move that stops black in his tracks. Other moves and black wins.
I analyzed a bunch of other lines, but no dice.
The most promising line for black might be starting with 1..Ne5.
Then it looks very complicated. One idea for black might be,
1..Ne5 2.Qe4 d3 (trying to hang on to his passer, and trying to make life difficult for white.
I liked this position, partly because there were 2
obvious tries, but while one wins in all variations, the
other try loses in one variation.
The 2 tries are:
1… dxe3 and 1… Nxf2.
The wrong solution is:
1… Nxf2
It works after:
2. Kxf2 dxe3+
3. Kxe3 Qh6+ followed by Rxd3
But not after:
2. Kxf2 dxe3+
3. Ke2 with no apparent winning continuation for Black
The other try works in all variations:
1… dxe3
2. Qxd6 exf2+
where White has 3 tries: Kh1, Kf1, Kg2
1st try:
3. Kh1 Rxd6 wins
2nd try:
3. Kf1 Ne3+
4. Kxf2 Nxd1+ followed by Rxd6 winning
or
4. Ke2 Rxd6
5. Rxd6 f1=Q+ wins.
or
3rd try:
3. Kg2 Ne3+
and if
4. Kxf2 Nxd1+ followed by Rxd6 winning
or if
4. Kh1, Kh3, or Kf3 Rxd6 wins
Kxf2+
You see, that is what happens when you try to solve it quickly and don’t take the time to consider whether or not your opponent actually has to do what you expect him to do. I totally overlooked
3.Ke2. This, of course, leaves my line wanting for advantage in black’s favor.