r3k2r/1q3ppp/4p3/p1b5/p2N1Q2/P6P/1P4P1/3R1R1K w kq – 0 1
White to move. Does White have compensation for the 2 pawns? How should White proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
TGIF tactic review
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1. Nxe6, fxe6 2. Qc4 (threatens both bishop on c5 and pawn on e6; black king is about to become naked), Qe7 3. Qb5+, Qd7 4. Qxd7#
Prevent black castling:
1. Nxe6 fxe6
2. Qe5 Qe7
3. Qh5+ g6
4. Qe5
now if 4…. Rf8
5. Rxf8 Qxf8 (5… Kxf8 6. Qh8+ wins)
6. Qxe6+ Qe7
7. Qxc6+ wins
or 4…. Rg8
5. Rf6 wins
1 N:e6 fe
2 Q:a4+ Ke7
3 Qh4+ Ke8
4 Qh5+ Ke7
5 Q:c5+
and white has regained his material with an attack
White has more than enough tactical compensation.
1. Nxe6 fxe6
2. Qxa4+ Ke7
3. Qh4+ Ke8
4. Qh5+ picks up the bishop and the exposed black king leaves Black in a hopeless position.
Above 3.Rf7,Kf7;4.Rd7,Qd7;5.Qd7+ would leave white materially down without enough material to take advantage of the black king position.
I see an opportunity for white to win the black queen, but the final outcome is neutral or maybe slightly better for black:
1. Nxe6 fxe6
2. Qxa4+ Ke7
3. Rf7+ Kxf7
4. Rd7+ Qxd7
5. Qxd7+ Be7
However, by playing 3. Qh4+ instead of Rf7+,
1. Nxe6 fxe6
2. Qxa4+ Ke7
3. Qh4+ Ke8
4. Qh5+ g6
5. Qxc5 Rg8
6. Qd6 Qc8
7. Rf6 Ra6
8. Qe5 {A tactical retreat.}
8… a4
9. Rd6! Rxd6
10. Qxd6 Qc1+ {A desperate move.}
11. Kh2 Qe1
12. Rxe6+ Qxe6
13. Qxe6+ {Black resigns.}
To answer the original question: Yes, since white has better centrality, mobility, and tactical prospects with the potential for an attack on the black king with Nxe6, opening up the f-file to further tighten the noose around the black king. Black’s rooks will find they can’t do much to stop the attack.
Well, Nxe6 seems telegraphed to me as a way to clear, with force, the line to a4:
1. Ne6 fe5 (what else better?)
2. Qa4 Ke7 (forced)
3. Qh4
I looked at everything here, and this is the best I see here:
3. …..Ke8
4. Qh5 g6 (mate otherwise)
5. Qc5
And white has regained the two pawns and has a strong attack.
1. Nxe6, threatening Nc7+, Nxg7+, Nxc5.
1. … fxe6
2. Qxa4+ Ke7
3. Qh4+ Ke8
4. Qh5+ g6 or Ke8
5. Qxc5(+), intending
6. Qd6
7. Qxe6+ Qe7
8. Qc6+ Qd7
9. Qxd7#
If 1. Ne6: doesn’t work, White’s not in great shape. Fortunately, it does.
If 1. … fe6:
2. Qa4: Ke7
3. Qh4+ Ke8
4. Qh5+ and 5. Qc5:, if nothing better turns up.
This looks like it’s adapted from an old Spassky game.
1. Nxe6!
White is threatening to take the Bishop with Nxc5 and to fork the Rook with Nc7+ (and since the Queen is essential for defense of f7, the fork wins the Rook outright).
And also has Qa4+, so if Black takes the Knight to neutralize the first two threats, White will get Black’s Queen for a Rook:
1. … fxe6
2. Qa4+ Ke7
3. Rxf7+ Kxf7
4. Rd7+ K-moves
5. Rxb7
Black can also try to neutralize the threats with Rc8, but taking the Rook off the back rank to capture at c5 turns out to be fatal:
1. … Rc8
2. Nxc5 Rxc5
3. Re1+ Qd7 (Kf8,Qd6+,Qe7,Qxe7+,Kg8,Qe8#)
4. Qb8+ Rc8
5. Qxc8#
1. Nxe6 is crushing
Knight has to be captured. Leads to mate shortly.
1.Nxe6 fe
2.Qg4!