White to move. Which side is better? How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
TGIF chess endgame
White to move. Which side is better? How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
1.h3+…Kg5
2.h4+…Kg4
3.Rf8 threatening Rf4 mate, wins
Ofcourse White is one move ahead.
1. h3 Kg5
2. h4 Kg4 (anything outside g will resurrect the white queen)
3. Rf8
( this wins the game, threatening the mate on f4. If black choses
3. … Rb2 here then,
4. Rf2 Rxf2
5. Kxf2 a2
6. b8=Q a1=Q
7. Qc8#)
(other combinations too win here for white)
1.h3+ Kg5 (forced, else a rook check and the b-pawn promotes) 2.h4+ Kg4 (forced again) 3.Rf8! (threatening Rf4#) 3.-Rb2+ 4.Rf2 Rf2:+ 5.Kf2: a2 6.b8=Q a1=Q 7.Qc8#
1.h3! Kg5 (only move) 2.h4! Kg4 (only move) 3.Rf8 Rb2 4.Rf2 Rf2 5.Kf2 a2 6.b8Q a1Q 7. Qc8#
1.h3+ Kg5 (…Kf5 2.Rf8+ +-)
2.h4+ Kg4
3.Rf8 (threatening b8(Q) and Rf4#)
3… Rb2+
4.Rf2 Rxf2+
5.Kxf2 a2
6.b8(Q) a1(Q)
7.Qf4#
Rg8 looks tempting since I think it can win a pawn:
1. Rg8 a2
2. b8(Q)? Rb8
3. Rb8 a1(Q) wins for black, however,
2. Rg6 Kf5
3. Ra6 a1(Q)
4. Ra1 Rb7
5. Rf1 Kg5
And, it appears to me that only white has winning chances here. I am not sure, right now, how to proceed from this point.
Nice puzzle… it’s pretty tough. How about the following:
1. h3+ Kg5
2. h4+ Kg4
else white checks with the rook and queens
3. Rf8
threatening Rf4#
Now, if
3. … Rb2+
4. Rf2 Rxf2
5. Kxf2 a2
6. b8(Q) a1(Q)
7. Qc8#
1.h3+ Kg5
2.h4+ Kg4
3.Tf8 1:0
1.h3 Kg5 (otherwise 2.Rf8+ and b8=Q) 2.h4 Kg4 3.Rf8 Rb2 (3…Rxb7 4.Rf4++) 4.Rf2 Rb4 (4…Rxf2 5.Kxf2 a2 6.b8=Q a1=Q 7.Qf4++)5.b8=Q Rxb8 6.Rf4++
1 h3 Kg5
2 g4 hxg4 h4 wins for white since black king can be checked
But if black simply do
2 g4 a2
i’m not sure if white has more than a draw
White wins if he can move the rook with check, so 1. h3+ Kg5 2. h4+ Kg4. Then 3. Rf8 threatens mate. If 3. … Rf2+ 4. Rf2, Rxf2+ 5. Kxf2 and white wins the pawn race because of another mate threat at f4.
1. h3+ Kg5
(Otherwise rook check followed by b8=Q wins)
2. h4+ Kg4 (same comment)
3. Rf8 Rb2+ (else Rf4#)
4. Rf2 Rxf2+
5. Kxf2 a2
6. b8=Q a1=Q
7. Qf4#
1. h3+ Kg5
2. h4+ Kg4
otherwise White can check and promote
3. Rf8
threatening Rf4 mate and b8=Q
3. Rb2+
4. Rf2 Rxf2+
5. Kxf2 a2
6. b8=Q a1=Q
7. Qc8 mate
White moves:
1.h3+
2.h4+
3.Rf8 (mate at f4)
4.Rf2
5.Kxf2
6.b8Q
7.check mate.
I think this looks promising:
1. h3 Kg5
2. h4 Kg4
(The black king cannot stray onto a square where the white rook can check.)
3. Rf8
threatening mate in one on f4.
3. .. Rb2
4. Rf2 Rxf2
I don’t see anything better for black.
5. Kxf2 a2
6. b8=Q
threatening mate in one on f4 so black doesn’t have time to queen.
1.h3+ Kg5
2.h4+ Kg4
3.Rf8 Rb2+
4.Rf2 Rxf2+
5.Kxf2 a2
6.b8Q a1Q
7.Qc8#
Another cooked study… There IS a dual mate.
7. Qc8# was the move indicated by Selesniev, but Qf4# works too.
Source : Selesniev, Rietsch, 1912.
It is rather interesting that in my trusty Van der Heijden Study Database III (2005), this dual is not mentioned.
Bravo to you all!