White to move. Is White winning or losing?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Winning or losing?
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White to move. Is White winning or losing?
mate in 4
It looks as though Black had been swamping White, but let slip:
1. Rh8+ Kg7
2. Rh7+ Kxh7
3. Qxf7 K-h8
4. Rh1#
jcheyne
Ah, but Black is not obliged to capture the Rook on h7.
For completeness one must also ponder Black’s other moves even though they turn out to be fruitless attempts at escape.
2. Rh7+ Kf6
3. Qxf7 #
or
2. Rh7+ Kf8
3. Qxf7 #
2. Rh7+ Kg8
3. Qxf7 #
After 1.Rh7 (menacing mate on f7) Qxe1+ 2.Kh2 Rxg2+ I see a draw…
After 1.Rh8+ Kg7 2.Qxe8 I’d still try 2…Qxe1+, Rxh2+ and continuous check with the queen. And draw?
Hello Moebius,
take a closer look – white’s win is not very far and that is a very easy problem for each tactician.
After 1. Rh8+, Kg7 2. Qxe8?? black has a perpetual (with Rxg2+) as you propose.
But black can even play stronger – 2. -, Qxe1+ 3. Kh2 (3. Kh3, Qh1+ of course) Qh4+! 4. Rxh4 gxh4 and black tries to win with his strong pawns. Probably white gets to a perpetual himself by playing 5. Qe5+ but that’s still a good try for black and he can’t lose.
For example 5. Qa4? Rb2 6. Qxa5, c3! 7. Qxa8, c2.
The white win is much easyier just try on!
Jochen