White to move. How can white save this game?
3r3k/2R1R3/5r1p/n4Pp1/6Q1/2p3P1/p3P1K1/1q6 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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White to move. How can white save this game?
3r3k/2R1R3/5r1p/n4Pp1/6Q1/2p3P1/p3P1K1/1q6 w – – 0 1
Md4
Qd5
Rh7+ draws by repetition. Easy peasy.
Qd4
Can you start giving us hard problems again?
1. Rh7+ Kg8 2. Rhg7+ kf7 3. Rh7 draws
1Qd4 This Q is untouchable.
1…. Qxf5
1…. Qb8 or Qd1 2Qxf6+
1…. Qb6 Qxd8+
2Rh7+ Qxh7
2… Kg8 3R(c)g7+ Kf8 4Qxd8#
3Qxf6+ Kg8
4Qxd8#
If this is a set problem what is the role of P on c3? Does it prevent any defence?
I found 1. Qd4!! The winning move with mating threats. Nice puzzle.
White seems to be in serious trouble, being a pawn and knight down, and the a-pawn poised to promote to a queen. On the plus side, both white rooks are on the 7th rank in good attacking positions and black’s extra piece looks to be too far away from all the action. We see that black’s d-file rook must stay on the back rank to prevent mate and the f-file rook is on the same diagonal as the king. Thus white’s plan of action is born:
1.Qd4 Rxd4
2.Re8+ Rf8
3.Rxf8#
1.Qd4 Qb8(or Qd1) trying to protect R@d8
2.Qxf6+ Kg8
3.Qg7#
1.Qd4 Ra8(b8) trying to avoid Qxd8
2.Qxf6+ Kg8
3.Qg7#
1.Qd4 Rg8?
2.Rh7#
1.Qd4 Rdf8(protecting f6)
2.Rh7+ Kg8
3.Rcg7#
1.Qd4 Rc8(e8)
2.Rxc8(e8)+ Rf8
3.Rxf8#
1.Qd4 Qg1+(f1/h1)
2.KxQ a1=Q+
3.Kg2 and black has no saving moves (see above)
1.Qd4 Kg8
2.Rg7+ Kh8(Kf8 3.Qxd8#)
3.Qxd8+ Rf8
4.Qxf8#
1.Qd4 Qe4+
2.Rxe4 Rf8 (what else?)
3.Qxf6+ Rxf6(Kg8 4.Qg7#)
4.Re8+ Rf8
5.Rxf8#
1Qd4 Qxf5
2.Qxd8+ Rf8
3.Rh7+ Qxh7(Kg8 4.Rcg7#)
4.Qxf8+ Qg8
5.Qxh6+ Qh7
6.Qxh7#
or more pleasing
6.Rc8#
WHEW! 🙂
1.Qd4 looks winning due to pinning the f6 Rook and the back rank mate threats if Black takes the Queen. Black has no mate threats besides nuisance checks. Phil
I should have added that 1.Qd4 Qxf5 fails to 2.Qxd8+ Rf8 3.Rh7+ Qxh7 (3…Kg8 4.Rcg8#) 4.Qxf8+ Qg8 5.Qxh6+. Phil
1. Qd4!! Wins for white, due to black’s weak back rank
Qa4, how does black prevent Re8++
Rh7+ will lead to a certain draw, so white can now try to win the game. And win he will, with:
1. Qd4!!
This pins the f6 rook. The queen is immune to capture due to Re8+ leading to mate. The threats are 2. Qxf6+ Kg8 3. Qg7# and 2. Qxd8+ Rf8 3. Qxf8#. If black tries to support the pinned f6 rook by the other one, then either the back rank weakens or the safety of f8 is lost (eg: 1… Rf8 2. Rh7+ Kg8 3. Rcg7#). Bringing the queen to the kingside is no better: 1… Qxf5 2. Rh7+ Qxh7 (2… Kg8 3. Rcg7+ Kf8 4. Qxd8#) 3. Qxf6 Kg8 (3… Qg7 4. Qxg7#) 4. Qxd8#
The only thing black can do is to delay things by sacrificing his queen(s) (the on-board one and the one obtained by promoting the a7 pawn).
Seems to me that Qd4 wins for white.
1. Qd4 Rd4
2. Rc8+ Rd8
3. Rd8#
1. …. Qb6
2. Qd8#
1. …. Qb8
2. Qf6+ Kg8
3. Qg7#
1. …. Nc6
2. Qf6+ Kg8
3. Qg7#
1. …. a1=Q
2. Qf6+ Kg8
3. Qg7#
1. …. Qf5
2. Qd8#
1. …. R8f8
2. Rh7+ Kg8
3. Rcg7#
Can’t see any other defense by black. Black can delay on 1st move by Qg1, but cannot prevent mate after white King captures at g1.
With respect to the easy-peasy comment you felt a draw was sufficient.
There is a beautiful checkmate here despite the potential for black to queen. This is based on the back-rank mate with the 2 white rooks.
1. Qd4! This wins outright. Black can delay with 2 queen sacrifices but effectively the only logical move is 1. …Rf8. This immediately loses to 2. Q*R (Q*f6) (Rh7+ would also win but this is more elegant and straightforward) with R*Q (Rf6)mating as 3. Re8+, Rf8 4. R*R (f8).
Psyche/anonymous.
Qd4 looks tough to meet.
Win for White
1.Qd4 which can’t be taken as mate follows in a couple of moves. i.e. 1…Rxd4 2.Re8+ Rf8 3.Rxf8#
Black needs to check White’s King, otherwise 2.Qxd8+ Rf8 3.Qxf8#
Therefore 1…Qh1+ 2.Kxh1 a1=Q+ 3.Kg2 Qf1+ 4.Kxf1 Kg8 5.Qxd8+ Rf8 6.Rg7+ Kh8 7.Qxf8#
Qd4 ! is enough.
Qd4 and white win . adeeb alawadhi
Qd4 !!
1. Qd4, threatening Qxd8+, as well as Qxf6+.
1. … Rxd4
2. Re8+
1. … Rdf8
2. Rh7+ Kg8
3. Rcg7#
1. … Qf1+ or Qg1+ or Qh1+
2. KxQ a1Q+
3. Kg2 and black has no more checks.
1. Qd4 Qxf5 (Rxd4, 2. Rc8+, teke 2 rooks and mate)
2. Qxd8+ Rf8
3. Rh7+ Qxh7
4. Qxf8+ Qg8
5. Qh6+ Qh7
6. Qxh7#
greets, jan
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,its a okay puzzle,not too tough.
White wins the game in ease.
Example [ Variations exist ]
=======
1.Qd4 Q*f5
2.Q*Rd8+ Rf8
3.Re8 Kg8
4.R*Rf8+ Q*Rf8
5.Qd5+ Kh8
6.Q*Na5 Qd8
7.Q*c3+ Kg8
8.Qg7++ Mate
White wins the game in ease.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]
I like 1. Qd4. Why settle for a draw when a win is better? 1…Rxd4 2. Rc8+ leads to mate, as does 1…Rf8 2. Qxf6+ (or Rh7+). The knight can’t protect the rook sufficiently and the queen is out of it. Queening the pawn won’t stop anything.
Flaws?
1. Dd4 wins
Black are not yet threat White King. So why White need to force a draw anyway? Simply white Queen to d4, a threatmate. If Black Rook capture White Queen, then Rook c7 to c8 is mate.