r1b2r2/bp2npkp/p3pN2/P3NpP1/5P2/5Q2/1q5P/3R1K1R w – – 0 1
White to move. How should White proceed? No computer please 🙂
Level of difficulty: 2.5 out of 4
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Saturday afternoon tactic
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1. Nd3 only move. Defends the mate threat on f2 and lets the queen mobilize to h5 on the next move.
1… Qc2 maybe is best, although I think anything is lost at this point.
2. Qh5. Threat of mate in one.
2…Qxd1+ Otherwise it’s mate
3. Qxd1 and it should be technique from here.
Nice quite move, took a bit to see it.
I also came up with 1 Nd3.
I’ve looked at the “obvious” 1 Nxh7 but I couldn’t find anything, and 1 Nh5+ just looking for perpetual checks, which aren’t there. Nd3 attacks the queen with tempo while defending against the mate on f2, thus freeing white’s queen to attack. Looks like a solid move.
tynicas said,
“1… Qc2 maybe is best, although I think anything is lost at this point.
2. Qh5. Threat of mate in one.
2…Qxd1+ Otherwise it’s mate
3. Qxd1 and it should be technique from here.”
Yes I agree with that. Looks like the black queen is lost.
Cool I once found a quiet move, too. 😀
“and it should be technique from here”
I have to contradict – this sounds as if it was a won endgame or so.
Do not forget – material is almot even or I’d even say black is materialistic (bishop’s pair) better.
The clue here is imho that black still can’t do anything against the white queen returning to h5 with the same old threats.
For example 3. -, Bd4 4. Qh5, Bx6 5. Qh6+! Kg8 (Kh8 6. Qxf8+) 6. exf6 1:0
Or 3. -, Ng8 4. Qh5, Nxf6 5. exf6, Kh8 (Kxf6? 6. Qg5#) 6. Rg1! [7. Qh6] 1:0 soon
or 4. -, h6!? 5. gxh6+, Kh8 (Nxh6? 6. Rg1+ or 5. -, Kxf6? 6. Qg5#) 6. Ne5! [7. Nxf7] 1:0 soon
As always I used no board so there could be bad mistakes in my variations.
Opinions?
Greetings
Jochen
Qg3 then eventually Qh4. this protects f2 and allows for a mate. how can black defend this im not sure.
“how can black defend this im not sure.”
Saccing the bishop for a forced queen exchange by playing Qf2+ is one defense idea.
Afterwards black is materialitic still more than okay because he starts with a figure plus.
Black’s queen side looks some kind of bad but I think this is not a positional advantage worth two pawns – so I’d say black is better.