2r4r/pp1qp1kp/1n1p1np1/2p3N1/5P2/1P5P/PB1Q2P1/R3R2K w – – 0 1
White to move. Does White have enough compensation for the 2 pawns? How should White proceed?
Level of difficulty: 3 out of 4
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Thusday morning tactic
It looks to me like White has enough, but how does white proceed? Filling the hole with Ne6+ makes sense, the long diagonal is great for the bishop, the black knights lack effective squares, but how does white make progress?
I like these sort of things – unless I am missing something, there is no immediate win but a need to continually exploit black’s weaknesses to find compensation for the pawn.
Rxe7
Rxe7 followed by Re1
maybe…
1. Rxe7 Qxe7
2. Re1 Qd7 (other 3. Ne6+, except Qxe1 Rxe1)
3. Bxf6+ Kxf6 (other Bxh8)
4. Qc3+ Kf5
5. g4+ Kxf4
6. Qe3#
1. Rxe7+ Qxe7
2. Re1+ Qd7
( Other queen moves-beware of Knight forks)
3. Bxf6+ Kxf6
4. Qc3+ Kf5
5. g4 Kxf4
6. Qe3 ++
3… Kh6
4. Nf7+ Kh5
5. g4+ Qxg4
6. hxg4 Kxg4
7. Nh6+ Kh5
8. Qe2 mate
3.. Kg8
4. Re7 Black is up a rook but White has an overwhelming attack. For example:
4… Qc6
5. Bxh8 returning the rook and if
5.. Kxh8
6. Qc3+ and 7. Qg7++ follows.
If instead of 5..Kxh8 Black plays 5… Nd5
6. Qb2 and mate on g7 is a threat Black cannot deal with so i.e. 6.. Nxe7 7. Qg7++
These lines look interesting.
But what if Black plays 2. … Qxe1? Now Black has two Rooks for a Queen. Is this line good enough for White?
Neither does this work for Black
1.Rxe7 Qxe7
2. Re1 Qxe1
3. Qxe1 Rhe8
4. Qh4 h6
5. Ne4 Re6
6. Nxf6
Black is down too much material.
Psst…. you misspelled Thursday. (=
Puzzle was fun too.
– E