White to move. How should white proceed?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Do I smell a double check here? I surely do! There two possible- Nd8 and Ng5. Let’s look at Nd8 first, though I can already see that it is the wrong one (and I really do think we have seen this problem posted here before- definitely looks familiar to me)
1. Nd8 Kg6 (Kf8 2.Qf7#)
2. Qf7
Nothing better that I can see. The checks from g4 are adequately defended by black’s reply of Rg5. Pushing the h-pawn is too slow, and white would just lose another piece to be down three. Continuing:
2. …..Kh6!
Not Kg5: [2. …Kg5?? 3.Qg7 Kh5 4.Qg4 Kh6 5.Nf7#]. And now white has nothing. The check from h4 is handled by Rh5 blocking it, and if white takes at e8, black just takes at d8 with the bishop and has three pieces for the rook. Of course, the problem with this line for white is the black rook’s access to h5 preventing white from effectively using the d4 rook to get at the king. 1.Ng5 double check solves this beautifully:
1. Ng5! Kg6 (again, Kf8 shorter #)
2. Qf7! Kg5 (Kh6 3.Rh4 Kg5 4.Qh5#)
3. Qg7 Kh5
4. Qh7 Kg5
5. h4#
Ng5+. I spent ten minutes on Nd8+ 🙂
I don’t see a win.
1. Nd8+… I guess! 🙂
1. Ng5 double check (a) Kf8
2. Qf7#
1. …. (b) Kf6
2. Qf7+ Kxg5
3. Qxg7+ Kh5
4. g4+ Kh4
5.gxf5+ (b1) Kh3
6. Qg3#
5. … (b2) Kh5
6. Qxh7+ Kg5
7. Qg6#
Mark
{Saw this one not too long ago. This position is interesting because of the
reason the double check, 1. Nd8+, does not work.}
1. Ng5+
{The wrong
“solution” is} (1. Nd8+ Kg6 2. Qf7+ Kh6 3. Rh4+ Rh5 {If the White knight
were on g5, this interpose would not be available.})
1. .. Kg6
(1. .. Kf8 2. Qf7# {Or 2. Nxh7#})
2. Qf7+ Kxg5
(2. .. Kh6 3. Rh4+ {No Black rook
interpose available on h5 now, with the White knight on g5.} Kxg5 4. Qh5#)
3. Qxg7+ Kh5
4. Qxh7+ Kg5
5. h4#
Lucymarie
1.Ng5+ Kg6
[if 1..Kf8 2.Qf7#]
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
[if 2..Kh6 3.Rh4+ Kxg5 4.Qh5#]
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.Qxh7+ Kg5
5.h4# ..more tactically challenging than yesterday’s puzzle! lol
Nd8+
1.Ng5+ Kf6
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.Qxh7+ Fg5
5,Ph4#
1. Ng5+ (double check) Kf8
2. Qf7# 0r 2.Nh7#
1Ng5++ Kg6
2Qf7+ Kxg5
(2…. kh6 3Rh4+ Kxg5
To start with I had thought of 1 Nd8++ but then 3…. Rh5 would have been possible now.
4Qh5#)
3Qxg7+ Kh5
4Qxh7+ Kg5
5 h4#
1.Ng5+ Kg6
2.Qf7+ Kxg5
3.Qxg7+ Kh5
4.g4+ Kh4
5.gxf4+ Kh5
6.Qxh7+ Kg5
7.Qg6#
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,neat & simple : others had already given the steps for white’s win,needs no addition from my side.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]