White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Nf7+ Kf7, Qf3+ Kg8, Bd5+ …
Knight takes pawn seems quite promising, since it forces the King to take the Knight to avoid losing the Queen. I can’t see anything beyond that.
1.Nxf7 looks like the winning choice, with 2.Qh5+ to follow. For Black, declining the sac by moving the Queen looks dismal. Phil
1, Nxf7 Kxf7
2, Qh5+ Kg8
3, Bxd5+ Kh8
4, Be4 h6
5, Qg6 Kh8
6, Qh7+
…..and black has to resign…
Best from Hungary
Nxf7+, followed by Qf3+
Nxf7 looks too tempting to resist. I’m not sure of the follow-up though.
QF3
Rook to e4?
Nxf7 followed by Qf3+
1.Nxf7 Kxf7
2.Qh5+ Kg8 (2…Kf8 3.Bxd5 g6?? 4.Qh6#)
3.Bxd5+ Kh8
4.Be4 looks pretty strong
Nf7 does look playable to me, too, but the hard move to find is white’s second one. I had to try trial and error for a few minutes to see it’s strength:
1. Nf7 Kf7
2. Re5
And, now, white has multiple threats like Qf3, Qh5, Bd5, Rd5 etc. I see basically two moves for black here- Kf8 and Be6. Taking them in order:
2. …..Be6
3. Qh5
Here, Qf3 is a problem after Bf6-handing black a useful tempo. Continuing:
3. …..Kg8
4. Re6 Bf6
5. Bd5 Re6 (Kh8? 6.Be4 h6 7.Qf5+-)
6. Be6 Kh8
7. d5
Here, I don’t think white has better than to play d5 preserving the second pawn, but he is up two clean pawns in this variation. Back at move 2, black does no better that I can see with
2. …..Kf8 (Kg8? 3.Rd5+-)
3. Qf3 Bf6 (again, Kg8 4.Rd5+-)
And after trying various things here, I decided the best move for white is Rae1. The bishop at f6 is pinned, so the rook is safe from the bishop. Continuing:
4. Rae1
And black has two options that I see, exchange at e5 or play Bd7. Taking each in order:
4. …..Re5
5. de5 Qe7 (Be6 6.ef6 Bf7 7.fg7+-)
6. Qd5 Qe6 (Be6 7.ef6+-)
And, again, I had to look at various moves like ef6, Qd4, Qd2, Qf3, etc. Of these, the best looking move to me is Qd4 which gives a clear attacking line:
7. Qd4 Qd7 (Qe7 is below)
8. Qc4 Qe6
9. Qc3 Qc6 (what else?)
10.Qb4 Be7 (what else?)
11.Qf4 Ke8 (Bf6 is hopeless)
12.Qf7 Kd8 (Kd7 13.e6)
13.Rd1 Bd7 (Kc7 14.Qe7)
14.e6 Bd6
15.ed7 Qd7
16.Qg8 and it is over. Most of this line just looks forced to me up to move 16, though, without a board to play with, I would never see it this deep. Back at move 4, black better with
4. …..Bd7
5. Qd5 Be6 (only move I find)
6. Qf3 Kg8 (Bd7 7.Qh5 with attack)
7. Re6 Re6
8. Re6 Kh8 (guard against dis. +)
9. d5 and white is up two pawns with the initiative.
So, I think white can win with Nf7. If white has something better, I am not seeing it immediately.
1 Nxf7 ….
White breaks up Black’s position and exposes the King.
1 …. Kxf7
moving the Queen instead won’t help matters, as White is going to ramp up the pressure with such as Re5 and Qh5. An example might be 1 … Qd7, 2 Qh5 g6, 3 Qe5 h5, 4 Bxd5 Kh7, 5 Nd6
2 Qh5+ Kg8
If 2 … g6, 3 Qxh7+ Kf8, 4 Re5 followed by Bxd5
3 Bxd5+ Kh8
4 Be4 h6
Everything else loses quickly.
5 Qg6 Kg8
6 Qh7+ Kf8
7 Bg6
7 Bc2 is a bit better, but the given move is more direct, and it avoids any complications.
7 … Qd5
Everything else results in a quick mate.
8 Bxf8 Bf6
If 8 … Ke8, 9 Re5 Qf7, 10 Rae1 Kd8, 11 Rxe7 Qxe7, 12 Rxe7 Kxe7, 13 Qxg7+ witn an easy win.
9 Qh8+ Qg8
10 Qxg8+ Kxg8
11 g4
White is up the exchange and two pawns.