White to move. How should White proceed? No computer lines please!
bb6/3R3P/2p3k1/5pP1/r1q2P2/4K1P1/p1rB4/R7 w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Thursday chess tactic
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A position that literally cries out loud and insistently for an under-promotion to start. After that, trial and error can find the mate since most black replies are essentially only moves and/or mates in 1 to 2:
1. h8(N) Kh5 (only move)
2. g4
The only move that is even halfway difficult to find, in my opinion. I certainly looked at the two rook checks first, but they both have a common problem- to continue the attack with check, which white must do to avoid being mated himself, white is forced to play a rook to h4, after which, the rook is unprotected when the black king captures at g3, and Be1+ is of no help in that circumstance since the black king finds a haven, for a move at g2. When you see that, then g4 becomes obvious as a way to clear a line for both rooks on the g and h-files to mate black. Continuing:
2. …..Kg4
Or fg4 leads to 3.Rh1/7# and Kh4 leads to 3.Rh7 Kg3/4 4.Rg1#.
3. Rg1 Kh3/4/5
4. Rh7#
1.h8N+ Kh5
2.g4+ Kxg4
3.Rg1+ Kh3
4.Rh7#
1: h8N+ Kh5
2: g4+ Kxg4 (fxg4 3:Rh1#)
3:Rg1+ Kh3,4,5
4:Rh7#
Quorthon.
1.h8N+ Kh5 2.g4+ Kxg4 3.Rg1+ Kh3 4.Rh7#.
1 h8=Q+ Kh5; 2 g4+ wins
h8=n+ mate
Not too much wiggle room here
1.h8(N)Kh5
2.g4 Kg4
3.Rg1 mate in 1
Methinks gabriele has a very simple typo in that.
Ops, 1 h7 h8=N+, Kg6 h5; 2 g3 g4+ and wins
1:h8N+ Kh5
2:g4+ Kxg4 (fxg4 Rh1#)
3:Rg1+ Kh3
4:Rh7#
Quorthon
I think even J.A. Laughertee could get this one, cause he likes horseys.
1. h8(N)+ Kh5
2. g4+
if 2…. fxg4
3. Rh7#
if 2. … Kxg4
3. Rg1+ Kh3 (or to h4 or h5)
4. Rh7#
If instead of 2. g4+, white tries 2. Rh1+ or 2. Rh7+, black is able to save the king, and win.
All she has to do is stay steady……she will remember this tourney for the rest of her life….Just stay on course…..And you know..I’ve never heard of this person before…but even I can fell the pressure…..Go! Impressive performance
Mike Magnan
What gabriele said, except changing queen to knight.
1 h8=n+ kh5 2 Rh2 kg4 3Rh4 mate
1.h8N+!! Kh5 2.g4+! Kxg4 (2..fxg4?? 3.Rh1#) 3.Rg1+ Kh3 (or Kh4,Kh5) 4.Rh1# mate
1. h8=N+ Kh5
2. g4+ Kxg4 (2. … fxg4 3. Rh7#)
3. Rg1+ Kh3/Kh4
4. Rh7#
1 h8=N+ kh5
2 g4+ Kxg4
3 Rg1+ Kh3
4 Rh7#
Since Black has a forced mate (beginning with 1. … Qe4+ or 1. … Ba7+), White’s survival depends on checking Black, so the under-promotion was an easy find.
1. h8(N)+ Kh5 2. g4+ (to remove a shield) Kxg4 (or 2. … Kh4 with the same result) 3. Rg1+ Kh3(h4)(h5) 4. Rh7#
The key here is under-promotion!
1.h8=N+! Kh5
2.g4+
if 2…fxg4 then either rook mates on the h-file.
3.Rh7# or Rh1#
if 2…Kxg4
3.Rg1+ Kh3/4/5
4.Rh7#
if 2…Kh4
3.Rh7+ Kg3 or Kxg4
4.Rg1#
h8=N Kh5
g4+ Kxg4
Rg1 Kh5
Rh7++
this is one of those knight promotions