White to move. How should White proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Rook and Bishop endgame
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White to move. How should White proceed?
1. RxBc4 dxc4
2. a6 Rb8
3. a7
Black will have to give back the Rook for a pawn and a Bishop . That will leave White with a piece up and a passed a pawn. Black’s passed c pawn is no danger due to the White’s black square bishop.
On the first look Rxc4 looks very strong because the white bishops and the a pawn will cost black his rook.
After 1.-, dxc4 2. a6 Rb8 is forced (Ra2? 3. Bc6!).
White keeps the second a pawn (3.a7 4 a8Q) which will help him to easily win the game.
It’s a pity that white can’t force the promotion of the first a pawn by playing 4. Bf4 (idea Bb8) because black can play e5 (and then e4).
But the simple winning idea with the direct win of the rook with 4.a8Q is okay.
So on the second look it looks still strong.
Greetings
Jochen
PS: Susan, the captcha is working great since some time!:-)
we had the same motif in the 1. May 2007 puzzle (which was much more difficult – IMHO)
6k1/4p1b1/6pp/P2p4/2b4P/1r2B1P1/2R2P2/6KB w – – 0 1
visual pattern recognition is everything in chess, isn’t it?
greetings
1Rxc4 dxc4
2Bd5+ Kh7
3Bxc4 Rb4
4Bb5
should also win