White to move. How should white proceed?
r4rk1/6pN/6QR/2p2p2/8/p1n4P/1q1b1PP1/4RK2 w – – 0 1
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White to move. How should white proceed?
r4rk1/6pN/6QR/2p2p2/8/p1n4P/1q1b1PP1/4RK2 w – – 0 1
Ng5 looks like a winner to me.
It’s threatening Qh7# if black doesn’t move the rook on f8, and if the rook is moved to somewhere like f6, white can then go 2. Re8+, Rxe8 3. Qxe8, Rf8 4. Rh8+, Qf8#.
Black can do some spite checking with Qb5+ to delay the mate, but that doesn’t lead anywhere away from a loss for black.
Qe6+
a) … Rf7
Nf6+ gxf (Kf8 obviously loses)
Rg6+ Kf8 (…Kh8 Qxf7)
Qd6+ Re7
Qxe7#
b) … Kh8
Ng5+ gxh
Qxh6+ Kg8
Qh7#
After getting lost in the wilds of 1.Nf6, I finally found the right line. I still think 1.Nf6 might be winning, but it is a nightmare to analyze, and after about 30 minutes and a 10 move deep analysis with at least 2 more to go, I gave up and decided there had to some short mate in here somewhere. Finally found it:
1. Qe6! Rf7 (Kh8 below)
2. Qe8!! Rf8 (Re8 3.Re8 Rf8 4.Rf8#)
3. Nf6! gf6
4. Qg6#
Or, at move 1:
1. Qe6 Kh8
2. Ng5!
A beautiful move, blocks the bishop’s attack on h6, and forces black to take with the pawn, which only delays regicide. Continuing:
2. ……gh6
3. Qh6 Kg8
4. Qh7#
GundayMatt,
I think black can just take the knight with the bishop on the first move, and be ok.
Gunday, black has always Bxg5…
First I looked at 1. Nf6 (almost mate except for the rook on f8) Rxf6 2. Re8+ Rxe8 (if Rf8 Qe6#) 3. Qxe8 Rf8 4. Qe6+ and we have a perpetual.
Afterwards I found the idea of playing Ng5 with a tempo because of a check: 1. Qe6+ Kh8 2.Ng5+ gxh6 3.Qxh6+ Kg8 4. Qh7#.
The only problem is that black can play 1.Rf7. In this case we can always go for the idea of checking in e8:
1. Qe6+ Rf7 2. Qe8+ Rxe8 3. Rxe8 Rf8 4. Rxf8#.
If black avoids this line with 2. Rf8 then the idea of checking with Nf6 works again:
1. Qe6+ Rf7 2. Qe8+ Rf8 3. Nf6+ gxf6 4. Qg6#
Nice problem, many variations with different ideas!
1. Ng5 Bxg5 ..
1.Nf6+ Rxf6 2.Qh7+ Kf7 3.Rxf6 Kxf6 4.Qh4+ Kf7 5.Rd7+ Kf8 6. .. same problem bishop on d2 (move 4).
remedy for the bishop theme:
1. Qe6+ Kh8 2.Ng5+ gxh6 3.Qxh6+ Kg8 4.Qh7#
fun!
1.Qe6+ Rf7 (1…Kh8 2.Ng5+ gxh6 3.Qxh6+ Kg8 4.Qh7#) 2.Qe8+ Rf8 (2…Rxe8 3.Rxe8+ Rf8 4.Rxf8#) 3.Nf6+ gxf6 4.Qg6#
1.Qe6 Rf7 (Kh8 Ng5#)
2.Nf6+ gxf6
3.Rg6+ Kh8 (Kh7 Qxf7+)
4.Qxf7 Qb5+
5.Kg1 Ne2+
6.Kh1
Now black can only sacrifice all 4 left pieces and get by Qg7 or Qh7
Qe6+.
1) If Kh8, Ng5+, gxh6, Qh7++.
2) If Rf7, Qe8+.
2.1) If Rxe8, Rxe8+, Rf8, Rxf8++.
2.2) If Rf8, Nf6+, gxf6, Qg6++.
Opss! Again:
Qe6+.
1) If Kh8, Ng5+, gxh6, Qh6+, Kg8, Qh7++.
2) If Rf7, Qe8+.
2.1) If Rxe8, Rxe8+, Rf8, Rxf8++.
2.2) If Rf8, Nf6+, gxf6, Qg6++.
This is fairly simple and straightforward. White checkmates black starting with 1. Qe6+! Black has two responses, but both lead to forced mates in 4 moves.
1… Kh8
2. Ng5+ gxh6
3. Qxh6+ Kg8
4. Qh7#
1… Rf7
2. Qe8+ Rxe8
3. Rxe8+ Rf8
4. Rxf8#
1. Qe6+ (a) Kh8
2. Ng5+ gxh6
3. Qxh6+ Kg8
4. Qh7#
1. … (b) Rf7
2. Qe8+ Rxe8
3. Rxe8+ Rf8
4. Rxf8#
Mark
1.Qe6 Rf7 2.Qe8 line doesn’t work because of Rf8 and queen must go back on Qe6.
1.Qe6 Rf7 2.Nf6