White to move. How should white proceed?
2r2r2/b2b1p1k/4pp1p/q2p1P1B/8/p1N3R1/2PQ2PP/7K w – – 0 1
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White to move. How should white proceed?
2r2r2/b2b1p1k/4pp1p/q2p1P1B/8/p1N3R1/2PQ2PP/7K w – – 0 1
Mating on the g-file directly doesn’t seem likely since Rg8 can be played. In fact if it was black’s move that might be a good plan except that Qc5 looks a little better. But anyway it’s white’s turn can we get the queen in there? A queen sac doesn’t appear to lead anywhere.
Rg6 threatening mate on h6.
fxg6 there’s no way to guard h6 and there’s no checks to play so this is forced
Bg6+ Kh8 Qxh6#
Bg6+ Kg8 Qxh6 mate in 1
Bg6+ Kg7 that looks like it’ll work. So lets try the bishop first to clear out the pawn
Bg6+ fxg6 Rxg6 threatening mate on h6 Be3 Qxe3 and mate in 1.
So Bg6+ Kh8 Qxh6 Kg8 Bh5#
Bg6+ Kg7 Rh3 and there’s no escape.
Well, it doesn’t always work, but looking at the checks is often a good way to find the first moves in these problems. In this case, the first check I looked at seems good:
1. Bg6
This one seemed obvious since it puts a real question to black while clearing the bishop off the h-file so that Rh3 is threat. Clearly, the king can’t retreat to h8 since Qh6+ is mate on the next move. So black is left with the capture fg6 and the two king moves of Kg7 and Kg8, both of which have potential discovered checks. They are all losing moves for black:
1. …..fg6
2. Rg6 and there is no defense against the coming Qh6# and only one delaying move (Be3).
Or, at move 1:
1. …..Kg7
2. Bh7
Keeping the h-file clear for the rook. Continuing:
2. …..Kh7 (Kh8 3.Qh6+-)
3. Rh3
And, I don’t think there is a defense here. There is no way to protect h6, and the black king will never escape through f8 since the queen at h6 will cut this off and the mate will be delivered with Rg3 or Qh8:
3. …..Rh8
4. Qh6 Kg8
5. Rg3#
1.Bf6, I think and if 1…fxg6 2. Txg6 +-, and if 1…Kg7 2. Rh3 +-
More grain for grinding in Grindmaster Lenya Gristmilli’s gristmill. 🙂
Small variations in the grain, but it all gets gound up.
1. Bg6+ fxg6
2. Rxg6 any
3. Qxh6#
1. Bg6+ Kg8
2. Qxh6 fxg6
3. Qxg6+ Kh8
4. Qg7#
1. Bg6+ Kg8
2. Qxh6 Rfd8
3. Qh7+ Kf8
4. Qxf7#
1. Bg6+ Kg7
2. Bh7+ Kxh7
3. Rh3 Kg8
4. Qxh6 Rfd8
5. Rg3#
1. Bg6+ Kg7
2. Bh7+ Kxh7
3. Rh3 Qxc3
4. Qxh6+ Kg8
5. Qh7#
1. Bg6+ Kg7
2. Bh7+ Kh8
3. Qxh6 Be3
4. Qg7#
1. Bg6+ Kg7
2. Bh7+ Kh8
3. Qxh6 Rg8
4. Bg6#
This looks like a queen and rook mate problem, but how do you get them to combine? Since …Rg8 will try and trad the rooks, white has to move fast or lose his chance. The bishop is kind of in the way, and it can help bring the queen and rook together quicker.
1. Bg6+ fxg6 2. Rxg6 and now the threat of Qxh6 is decisive.
1.Bg6+! Kg7 [1…fxg6 2.Rxg6 1-0]
2.Bh7+ Kxh7
3.Rh3 a2
*** Now black has a pawn on the a2 square!! ***
4.Qxh6+ with mate to follow.
1. Bg6+ Kg7 2. Bh7+ Kxh7 3. Rh3 any 4. Qxh6+ Kg8 5. Qh8+ mate. if 1. .. fxg6 2. Rxg6 and mate at h6 can’t be prevented.
Instinctively:
1. Ne4 Qxd2 2. Nxf6+ but 2…Kh8 and black wins.
On second thought … I noticed the removal of the column H.
Not 1. Bxf7 Rxf7 2. Rg6 Kh8 3. Qxh6+ Rh7 and black wins.
Hummm…
1. Bg6+! (1…fxg6 2. Rxg6 and do not avoid checkmate: Qxh6#)
1…Kg7! 2. Bh7+! Kxh7
3. Rh3 h5
4. Rxh5+ Kg8
5. Qh6 and 6. checkmate.
Best regards
Stef
1. Bg6+ Kg7
2. Bh7+ Kxh7
3. Rh3 a2
4. Qxh6+ Kg8
5. Qh7++
Yancey Ward says
pretend there was no white bishop
now have a drink
1. Bxf7 Rxf7
2. Rh3 Kg8
3. Qxh6 Rh6
4. Qxh7+ Kf8
5. Qxg7+ Kg8
6. Qxc8+ Kf7
7. Qxe6+ Kg7
8. Rg3+ Kh5
9. Qxf6 Qxc3
10. Qg5#
OR
1. Bxf7 Qb4
2. Bg6+ Kg7
3. Bh5+ Kh7
4. Rg6 Qxc3
5. Qxh6#
OR
1. Bxf7 Qb4
2. Bg6+ Kg8
3. Qxh6 Rf6
4. Bh5+ Rg7
5. Qxg7#
OR
1. Bxf7 Qb4
2. Bg6+ Kg8
3. Qxh6 Qe7
4. Be8+ Qg7
5. Rxg7#