White to move. How should White proceed?
8/p5P1/8/3p2r1/4p2R/8/7r/5KNk w – – 0 1
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Unusual chess endgame
About Author
White to move. How should White proceed?
8/p5P1/8/3p2r1/4p2R/8/7r/5KNk w – – 0 1
1. Nh3! with a threat of Nf2+ mate!
Black can play …
1. … e3
2. Nxg5 and the g-pawn should queen
1. … Rf5+
2. Rf4! and black can’t stop white’s g-pawn from queening.
Nh3 threatens Nf2 mate and if RxN then RxR mate; …Rf5+ Ke1, Rg2 preventing Queen then Nf2 discovered check followed by Rh1 mate; Rf5+ Ke1 RxN RxR+ and Queens
1.Nh3 is inconvenient, threat: Nf2++, so
1. … Rf5+
2. Rf4 and Black is in a world of hurt.
nh3 => nf2
han
1.Nh3 is best for white. If black tries to take 1…Rxh3, then white mates in one, 2.Rxh3. If black moves 1…Rgxg7, then white mates next move, 2.Nf2#, the black rook at h2 is pinned by the white rook along the h-column.
I guess it’s 1.Nh3 Rf5 2.Rf4!
1.Nh3
a) 1…Rxh3
2.Rxh3#
b) 1…Rxg7
2.Nf2#
c) 1…Rf5+
2.Ke1
now, black can’t stop white from queening…
d) 1…e3
2.Nxg5
and white’s g pawn can’t be stopped…
Nh3 (threat Nf2#) wins or promotes.
White wins this game with the simple:
1. Nh3!!
threatening 2. Nf2#. Black now cannot prevent both this mate and the promotion of the g-pawn.
1… Rxh3 2. Rxh3# is immediate mate, while 1… Rgg2 2. g8Q Rxg8 3. Nf2# (or 2… Rf2+ 3. Nxf2#, or 2… Rxf3 3. Qxg2#) stretches it by 2 moves.
1… e6 2. Nxg5 and now black cannot stop the g-pawn from promoting.
I think the best response for black is 1… Rf5+. Though I still see only
2. Ke1 Rg2
3. Nf2+ Kg1
4. Rh1#
Update: Here, 2… Kg2 3. g8Q+ Kf3 4. Ng1+ Ke3 5. Rxh2 seems to allow black to escape albeit with significant material disadvantage.
1.Nh3 (Rxh3 2. Rxh3#)
Rf5+
2.Rf4 (Rxh3 3.Rxf5 Rg3 4. Rh5#)
Rxf4
3.Nxf4 ..
4.g5=Q
1. Nh3
David
1. Nh3 seems fine. threating Nf2#
black should give its g-file rook.
1.Nh3 Rxg7?? 2.Nf2#
1.Nh3 Rf5+ 2.Rf4 Rxf4 3.Nxf4 1-0
Nh3 1-0
1. Nh3 threatens Nf2# and also attacks the Rg5. Black’s only move is 1…Rf5+ 2. Ke1 but now g8Q is unstoppable. The ending will still be very difficult, though.
One possible line is 2…R:h3 3. R:h3+ Kg2 4. g8Q+ K:h3 and White faces a long struggle.
NH3
Nh3 looks promising.
If 1…Rxg7, then 2.Nf2#
If 1…Rxh2, then 2.Nxg5 the pawn queens.
1. Ng3 looks like is the winning move for white.
1. Nh3!
1.Nh3 ! +-
if 1…. Rxg7
2.Nf2++
if 1…. R5g2
2.g8=Q +-
if 1…. Rxh3
2.Rxh3++
if 1…. Rf5+
2.Ke1 +~
if 1…. e3
2.Nxg5 Rxh4
3.g8=Q +-
if 1…. other
2.Nf2++
Xargon the true
nh3 threatening nf2 mate
I think I have found the correct solution in the first
few moves, that’s the good news. The bad news, is that
if it is the correct line, then actually winning
from that point on is going to be exceedingly difficult, at
least for me, since queen versus rook endings with no pawns
is very hard, and playing with a lone queen
against a rook and one or two pawns, let alone
THREE pawns, is just about absolutely impossible (for me).
I’ve even seen games where GRANDMASTERS have not won queen
and rook endings with NO pawns on the board. I find queen
versus rook to be more difficult than bishop and knight
versus lone king.
So here goes:
1. Nh3 (threat is 2. Nf2#)
(It would be nice to be able to play 1. Nf3 threatening
2. Rxh2#, and 1…. Rxh4 loses to 2. Nxh5, but the simple
1…. exf3 wins for Black.)
1…. Rf5+ (the only good try)
2. Ke1 (a sad necessity. I wanted to play 2. Rf4,
when 2…. Rxf4+ Nxf4 wins for White, and
2…. Rxh3 3. Rxf5 Rg3?? (to stop the
pawn) 4. Rh5+ Rh3 5. Rxh3#. But Black
has 2…. Rg2, which drops a rook, but
3. Rxf5 Rxg7 draws, I think.)
From this point, I think there are 2 reasonable defenses for
Black: 2… Rxh3 and 2…. Rf3. They both lead to the
theoretical won queen versus rook and 3 pawn endings which
I dread. What doesn’t work for Black at all on the 2nd move
are any moves by the rook along the 2nd rank. Any move
of the rook on the 2nd rank, except 2…. Re2+, leads to a
devastating double check, 3. Nf2+.
2…. Rxh3
3. Rxh3+ Kg2
4. g8=Q+ Kxh3
5. Qg6 (Preventing 5…. Kg4, and better than
5. Qc8, I think, since after
5…. Kg4, I don’t see any way for
White to pick up the d-pawn, which
has to be the first to go. White
has to deal with the at least one
of the advanced connected passed pawns
first.)
5…. Rf3 (probably)
Here White can win the d-pawn with 6. Qh5+, but this
may be too hasty. This is an exceedingly difficult
ending from this point on, and I’m not going to go
there tonight.
The other try for Black on move 2 is 2…. Rf3, and
again, it leads to one of those dreaded, theoretically
won endings:
2… Rf3
3. Nf2+ Rxf2 (with the only legal rook)
4. Rxh2+ Rxh2
5. g8=Q
and here the d-pawn goes quickly, but as I said before,
it’s going to be a long time before White wins this one.
My insomnia woke me up to work on this problem tonight, but
it’s time to go back to sleep. And I hope that I’m not
going to be dreaming about queens and rooks and pawns.
What a nightmare.
Lucymarie
An unusual end game requires a bold and unusual move. How about 1. Nh3, threatening 2. Nf2#? If 1…e3 to counter Nf2, then Nxg5 and the pawn queens. Other moves have similar outcomes.
I think I have found the correct solution in the first few moves, that’s the good news. The bad news, is that if it is the correct line, then actually winning from that point on is going to be exceedingly difficult, at least for me, since queen versus rook endings with no pawns is very hard, and playing with a lone queen against a rook and one or two pawns, let alone THREE pawns, is just about absolutely impossible (for me). I’ve even seen games where GRANDMASTERS have not won queen and rook endings with NO pawns on the board. I find queen versus rook to be more difficult than bishop and knight versus lone king. So here goes:
1. Nh3 threat is 2. Nf2#)
(It would be nice to be able to play 1. Nf3 threatening 2. Rxh2#, and 1…. Rxh4 loses to 2. Nxh5, but the simple 1…. exf3 wins for Black.)
1…. Rf5+ (the only good try)
2. Ke1 (a sad necessity. I wanted to play 2. Rf4, when 2…. Rxf4+ Nxf4 wins for White, and 2…. Rxh3 3. Rxf5 Rg3?? (to stop the pawn) 4. Rh5+ Rh3 5. Rxh3#. But Black has 2…. Rg2, which drops a rook, but
3. Rxf5 Rxg7 draws, I think.)
From this point, I think there are 2 reasonable defenses for Black: 2… Rxh3 and 2…. Rf3. They both lead to the theoretical won queen versus rook and 3 pawn endings which I dread. What doesn’t work for Black at all on the 2nd move are any moves by the rook along the 2nd rank. Any move
of the rook on the 2nd rank, except 2…. Re2+, leads to a devastating double check, 3. Nf2+.
2…. Rxh3
3. Rxh3+ Kg2
4. g8=Q+ Kxh3
5. Qg6 Preventing 5…. Kg4, and better than 5. Qc8, I think, since after 5…. Kg4, I don’t see any way for White to pick up the d-pawn, which has to be the first to go. White has to deal with the at least one of the advanced connected passed pawns first.)
5…. Rf3 (probably)
Here White can win the d-pawn with 6. Qh5+, but this may be too hasty. This is an exceedingly difficult ending from this point on, and I’m not going to go there tonight.
The other try for Black on move 2 is 2…. Rf3, and again, it leads to one of those dreaded, theoretically won endings:
2… Rf3
3. Nf2+ Rxf2 (with the only legal rook)
4. Rxh2+ Rxh2
5. g8=Q
and here the d-pawn goes quickly, but as I said before, it’s going to be a long time before White wins this one.
My insomnia woke me up to work on this problem tonight, but it’s time to go back to sleep. And I hope that I’m not going to be dreaming about queens and rooks and pawns. What a nightmare.
Lucymarie
I think I have found the correct solution in the first few moves, that’s the good news. The bad news, is that if it is the correct line, then actually winning from that point on is going to be exceedingly difficult, at least for me, since queen versus rook endings with no pawns is very hard, and playing with a lone queen against a rook and one or two pawns, let alone THREE pawns, is just about absolutely impossible (for me). I’ve even seen games where GRANDMASTERS have not won queen and rook endings with NO pawns on the board. I find queen versus rook to be more difficult than bishop and knight versus lone king. So here goes:
1. Nh3 threat is 2. Nf2#)
(It would be nice to be able to play 1. Nf3 threatening 2. Rxh2#, and 1…. Rxh4 loses to 2. Nxh5, but the simple 1…. exf3 wins for Black.)
1…. Rf5+ (the only good try)
2. Ke1 (a sad necessity. I wanted to play 2. Rf4, when 2…. Rxf4+ Nxf4 wins for White, and 2…. Rxh3 3. Rxf5 Rg3?? (to stop the pawn) 4. Rh5+ Rh3 5. Rxh3#. But Black has 2…. Rg2, which drops a rook, but
3. Rxf5 Rxg7 draws, I think.)
From this point, I think there are 2 reasonable defenses for Black: 2… Rxh3 and 2…. Rf3. They both lead to the theoretical won queen versus rook and 3 pawn endings which I dread. What doesn’t work for Black at all on the 2nd move are any moves by the rook along the 2nd rank. Any move
of the rook on the 2nd rank, except 2…. Re2+, leads to a devastating double check, 3. Nf2+.
2…. Rxh3
3. Rxh3+ Kg2
4. g8=Q+ Kxh3
5. Qg6 Preventing 5…. Kg4, and better than 5. Qc8, I think, since after 5…. Kg4, I don’t see any way for White to pick up the d-pawn, which has to be the first to go. White has to deal with the at least one of the advanced connected passed pawns first.)
5…. Rf3 (probably)
Here White can win the d-pawn with 6. Qh5+, but this may be too hasty. This is an exceedingly difficult ending from this point on, and I’m not going to go there tonight.
The other try for Black on move 2 is 2…. Rf3, and again, it leads to one of those dreaded, theoretically won endings:
2… Rf3
3. Nf2+ Rxf2 (with the only legal rook)
4. Rxh2+ Rxh2
5. g8=Q
and here the d-pawn goes quickly, but as I said before, it’s going to be a long time before White wins this one.
My insomnia woke me up to work on this problem tonight, but it’s time to go back to sleep. And I hope that I’m not going to be dreaming about queens and rooks and pawns. What a nightmare.
I think I have found the correct solution in the first few moves, that’s the good news. The bad news, is that if it is the correct line, then actually winning from that point on is going to be exceedingly difficult, at least for me, since queen versus rook endings with no pawns is very hard, and playing with a lone queen against a rook and one or two pawns, let alone THREE pawns, is just about absolutely impossible (for me). I’ve even seen games where GRANDMASTERS have not won queen and rook endings with NO pawns on the board.
1. Nh3 (threat is 2. Nf2#)
(It would be nice to be able to play 1. Nf3 threatening 2. Rxh2#, and 1…. Rxh4 loses to 2. Nxh5, but the simple 1…. exf3 wins for Black.)
1…. Rf5+ (the only good try)
2. Ke1 (a sad necessity. I wanted to play 2. Rf4, when 2…. Rxf4+ Nxf4 wins for White, and 2…. Rxh3 3. Rxf5 Rg3?? (to stop the pawn) 4. Rh5+ Rh3 5. Rxh3#. But Black has 2…. Rg2, which drops a rook, but
3. Rxf5 Rxg7 draws, I think.)
From this point, I think there are 2 reasonable defenses for Black: 2… Rxh3 and 2…. Rf3. They both lead to the theoretical won queen versus rook and 3 pawn endings which I dread. What doesn’t work for Black at all on the 2nd move are any moves by the rook along the 2nd rank. Any move
of the rook on the 2nd rank, except 2…. Re2+, leads to a devastating double check, 3. Nf2+.
2…. Rxh3
3. Rxh3+ Kg2
4. g8=Q+ Kxh3
5. Qg6 Preventing 5…. Kg4, and better than 5. Qc8, I think, since after 5…. Kg4, I don’t see any way for White to pick up the d-pawn, which has to be the first to go. White has to deal with the at least one of the advanced connected passed pawns first.)
5…. Rf3 (probably)
Here White can win the d-pawn with 6. Qh5+, but this may be too hasty. This is an exceedingly difficult ending from this point on, and I’m not going to go there tonight.
The other try for Black on move 2 is 2…. Rf3, and again, it leads to one of those dreaded, theoretically won endings:
2… Rf3
3. Nf2+ Rxf2 (with the only legal rook)
4. Rxh2+ Rxh2
5. g8=Q
and here the d-pawn goes quickly, but as I said before, it’s going to be a long time before White wins this one.
My insomnia woke me up to work on this problem tonight, but it’s time to go back to sleep. And I hope that I’m not going to be dreaming about queens and rooks and pawns. What a nightmare.
I think I have found the correct solution in the first few moves, that’s the good news. The bad news, is that if it is the correct line, then actually winning from that point on is going to be exceedingly difficult, since queen versus rook endings with no pawns is very hard, and playing with a lone queen against a rook and one or two pawns, let alone THREE pawns, is just about absolutely impossible.
1. Nh3 (threat is 2. Nf2#)
(It would be nice to be able to play 1. Nf3 threatening 2. Rxh2#, and 1…. Rxh4 loses to 2. Nxh5, but the simple 1…. exf3 wins for Black.)
1…. Rf5+ (the only good try)
2. Ke1 (a sad necessity. I wanted to play 2. Rf4, when 2…. Rxf4+ Nxf4 wins for White, and 2…. Rxh3 3. Rxf5 Rg3?? (to stop the pawn) 4. Rh5+ Rh3 5. Rxh3#. But Black has 2…. Rg2, which drops a rook, but
3. Rxf5 Rxg7 draws, I think.)
From this point, I think there are 2 reasonable defenses for Black: 2… Rxh3 and 2…. Rf3. They both lead to the theoretical won queen versus rook and 3 pawn endings which I dread. What doesn’t work for Black at all on the 2nd move are any moves by the rook along the 2nd rank. Any move
of the rook on the 2nd rank, except 2…. Re2+, leads to a devastating double check, 3. Nf2+.
2…. Rxh3
3. Rxh3+ Kg2
4. g8=Q+ Kxh3
5. Qg6 Preventing 5…. Kg4, and better than 5. Qc8, I think, since after 5…. Kg4, I don’t see any way for White to pick up the d-pawn, which has to be the first to go. White has to deal with the at least one of the advanced connected passed pawns first.)
5…. Rf3 (probably)
Here White can win the d-pawn with 6. Qh5+, but this may be too hasty. This is an exceedingly difficult ending from this point on, and I’m not going to go there tonight.
The other try for Black on move 2 is 2…. Rf3, and again, it leads to one of those dreaded, theoretically won endings:
2… Rf3
3. Nf2+ Rxf2 (with the only legal rook)
4. Rxh2+ Rxh2
5. g8=Q
and here the d-pawn goes quickly, but as I said before, it’s going to be a long time before White wins this one.
My insomnia woke me up to work on this problem tonight, but it’s time to go back to sleep. And I hope that I’m not going to be dreaming about queens and rooks and pawns. What a nightmare.
I think I have found the correct solution in the first few moves, that’s the good news. The bad news, is that if it is the correct line, then actually winning from that point on is going to be exceedingly difficult, since queen versus rook endings with no pawns is very hard, and playing with a lone queen against a rook and one or two pawns, let alone THREE pawns, is just about absolutely impossible.
1. Nh3 (threat is 2. Nf2#)
(It would be nice to be able to play 1. Nf3 threatening 2. Rxh2#, and 1…. Rxh4 loses to 2. Nxh5, but the simple 1…. exf3 wins for Black.)
1…. Rf5+ (the only good try)
2. Ke1 (a sad necessity. I wanted to play 2. Rf4, when 2…. Rxf4+ Nxf4 wins for White, and 2…. Rxh3 3. Rxf5 Rg3?? (to stop the pawn) 4. Rh5+ Rh3 5. Rxh3#. But Black has 2…. Rg2, which drops a rook, but
3. Rxf5 Rxg7 draws, I think.)
From this point, I think there are 2 reasonable defenses for Black: 2… Rxh3 and 2…. Rf3. They both lead to the theoretical won queen versus rook and 3 pawn endings which I dread. What doesn’t work for Black at all on the 2nd move are any moves by the rook along the 2nd rank. Any move
of the rook on the 2nd rank, except 2…. Re2+, leads to a devastating double check, 3. Nf2+.
2…. Rxh3
3. Rxh3+ Kg2
4. g8=Q+ Kxh3
5. Qg6 Preventing 5…. Kg4, and better than 5. Qc8, I think, since after 5…. Kg4, I don’t see any way for White to pick up the d-pawn, which has to be the first to go. White has to deal with the at least one of the advanced connected passed pawns first.)
5…. Rf3 (probably)
Here White can win the d-pawn with 6. Qh5+, but this may be too hasty. This is an exceedingly difficult ending from this point on, and I’m not going to go there tonight.
The other try for Black on move 2 is 2…. Rf3, and again, it leads to one of those dreaded, theoretically won endings:
2… Rf3
3. Nf2+ Rxf2 (with the only legal rook)
4. Rxh2+ Rxh2
5. g8=Q
and here the d-pawn goes quickly, but as I said before, it’s going to be a long time before White wins this one.
My insomnia woke me up to work on this problem tonight, but it’s time to go back to sleep. And I hope that I’m not going to be dreaming about queens and rooks and pawns. What a nightmare.
Nh3 is a really pretty move, threatening Nf2# or Nxg5. If Rg1+ Nxg1 Rxh4 g8 with a Queen
1.Nh3 looks strong
Beelze
1) Nh3! Rxg7
Nf2#
2) Nh3! Rg2
g8=Q
3) Nh3! Rg1+
Nxg1 Rxh4
g8=Q
white win
1.Nh3 Rf5+ 2.Ke1 Rxh3 3.Rxh3+ Kg2 4.Rh8 wins
Sorry about the repeats. I can explain. Every time I clicked on “PUBLISH”, I got a message saying that I had exceeded the limit of the amount of URI text I was allowed to enter. So I thought each time that I needed to try again.
As I believe in democracy, and there is a 100% vote for Nh3, I will go for Nh3 as the winning move.
I looked at 1. Nh3 Rf5+ 2. Rf4 and concluded it wasn’t as good as 2. Ke1. Here’s why. Black can play 2…Rg2 3. R:f5 R:g7 and the ending most likely will reduce to R+N vs. R+a-pawn. This is a very difficult ending. I stand behind Lucymarie’s repetitive comment – 1. Nh3 Rf5+ 2. Ke1 leads to a difficult ending with Q vs. R+ pawns.
I believe white can win this, the basic drawing resource for the side with R+P is to have a P on the 2nd rank defending the R, which keeps the K out while the K just hides behind the pawn as permitted. That’s not possible here.
I looked at 1. Nh3 Rf5+ 2. Rf4 and concluded it wasn’t as good as 2. Ke1. Here’s why. Black can play 2…Rg2 3. R:f5 R:g7 and the ending most likely will reduce to R+N vs. R+a-pawn. This is a very difficult ending. I stand behind Lucymarie’s repetitive comment – 1. Nh3 Rf5+ 2. Ke1 leads to a difficult ending with Q vs. R+ pawns.
I believe white can win this, the basic drawing resource for the side with R+P is to have a P on the 2nd rank defending the R, which keeps the K out while the K just hides behind the pawn as permitted. That’s not possible here.
1.Nh3…Rf5+
2.Ke1…Rxh3
3.Rxh3+…Kg2
4.g8=Q+…Kxh3
maybe white is winning but black may be able to set up a fortress with a timely …Rf3.
1. Nh3 Rf5+
2. Ke1 Rxh3
3. Rxh3 Kg2
4th moves
a) p8:Qg8 Kxh3 and goes on
b) Rh8 Rf1+
b-5th : Ke2 Rf2
6. Ke3 Rf3
7. Kd4 Rd3
8. Kc5 Rg3
9. p8:Qg8 Rxg8
10. Rxg8 and white wins eventually