White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Women’s chess tactic
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
Nice to see 16 pawns on the board and such a position.
1. Ng6:+ hg6:
2. gf5: ….
Can’t see a decent move for Black after this. That a1-h8 diagonal is murder!
When I looked at this game after Round 9 at Jermuk
was finished (I don’t get up early enough on the West
Coast to catch the games live), instinct told me:
1. Nxg6+ hxg6
2. gxf5 gxf5
3. Qh8+ Ke7
4. Qh4+ Kf8
5. Qh6+ Ke7
6. Qg5+ Kf8
7. Bg7+ Kg8
8. Bf6+
That was the easy part.
Now I see that
5. Rg8+ Kxg8
6. Qh8# is mate.
If Black doesn’t retake 2… gxf5,
then 3. fxg6 looks bad for Black.
(Haven’t looked at that yet, though. 2… Qh4 looks
promising for Black, better than 2… gxf5, anyway.)
Getting back to the first variation, though:
There are 2 possible interposes for Black
after 4. Qh4+.
4. Qh4+ Nf6
5. Bxf6+ is a killer:
5…. Kd7
6. Bxd8
or
5…. Kf8
6. Qh8#
If
4. Qh4+ Rf6
5. Rg7+ Kf8
6. Qh8#
So, going back to 2nd moves for Black other than 2… gxf5.
When I looked at this game, I was wondering why Black
did not play 2…. Qh4. That seems to be a continuation
that at least holds out some hope for Black. (It’s the
move I would have played.)
So:
1. Nxg6+ hxg6
2. gxf5 Qh4
3. fxg6 then what?
3… Rfe7 and 3… Rf6 looks like the only 2 moves
that deserve consideration here.
3…. Rfe7
and then 4. g7+ doesn’t look too good,
but 4. Rg5 does, with the idea of playing Rh5 next move.
This looks promising even after the Black queen check
on g3.
If
1. Nxg6+ hxg6
2. gxf5 Qh4
3. fxg6 Rf6
and now 4. Rg5 doesn’t look good at all, so I think
that this is what Xu Yuhua should have played.
I can’t find a good continuation for White after 3… Rf6.
Lucymarie
Well, considering it is a chess tactic, I would be looking for some sort of sacrifice (I am lazy, I will take any evidence whatsoever in order to minimize my effort). However, even if this position occurred over the board in a game, I would be looking at a sacrifice at either f5 or g6. Taking them in order:
1. Nf5 gf5 (have to accept)
And here, white has a couple of moves to consider:
2. Qh8 Ke7
And what? The queen is hanging, the f6 square is thrice protected. White must retreat.
Or
2. gf5 Qh4 (Nf6 3.Kh2 Qd7 is ok)
3. Kh2 Ke7 and the black king escapes to the queen side where he will be quite secure- much more so than his counterpart.
All in all, I find 1.Nf5 pretty unconvincing.
Now, for 1.Ng6
1. Ng6 hg6 (black must accept)
Here, gf5 looks like the only promising continuation as it threatens Bh5 at some point:
2. gf5
And now, black has limited options. I will take the worst ones first:
2. …..Re7??
3. Qh8 Kf7
4. Qg7#
Or
2. …..Rh7
3. fg6 Ree7 (what else?)
4. gh7 Rh7
5. Rg5 and the attack is overwhelming.
Or
2. …..Nf6
3. fg6 Rg7
4. Qf6 Qf6
5. Bf6 and a blind man could win this as white- even one who only plays checkers.
Or
2. …..Qf6
3. fg6 Qd4 (Rg7 is like above)
4. ed4! Nd3 (what else?)
5. gf7 Re7 (Kf7 6.Bh5)
6. Bh5! Nf6 (or Rf6)
7. Bg6 Nb2 (has to)
8. Rb2 and black’s position is hopeless as white is going to run the h-pawn right down the file.
Or
2. …..Rf6
3. Rg6
is strongest, in my opinion, though I think fg6 might win, too. Continuing this line:
3. …..Rg6 (Qe7 4.Kh2 Qf7 5.Rf6)
4. fg6 Nf6 (mate otherwise)
5. Qf6 Qf6
6. Bf6 and black cannot survive the coming pawn phlanx- mate may even be in the cards in a few moves.
Of all black’s second move options, the best looking one is
2. …..Qh4
3. fg6
Hard to see anything else for white. Continuing:
3. …..Rf6 (Re7 4.Rg5 Kg8 5.Rh5)
4. Kh2 Ke7 (escape a must)
And here, there are options for white to retain the initiative, but the one that looks best to me is
5. Rg5 Qh6 (escaping the trap)
6. Rfg1 Rg8
7. Rh5 Qf8 (Qg7 8.Rh7+-)
8. Rh7+ Rg7 (options see below)
9. Rg5
And this is quite complex, but I don’t see how black unties this bind:
9. …..Rh7
10.gh7 Rh6 (what else?)
11.Rg8 and black loses a queen for a rook and a piece, but white still has the initiative and two more passed pawns, or
9. …..Rg6
10.Qg7 Rg7
11.Rhg7 Ke8
12.Rg8 should win easily for white, or
9. …..Qg8
10.Rgh5 Ke8 (Rg6 see line above)
11.Rh8 Rfg6
12.Qg7 Rg7
13.Bg7 Kf7
14.Rg8 Kg8
15.Bd4 with an easy win for white.
And, lastly, at move 8 above, black has a few other options, but they don’t really look much better than the move I gave:
8. …..Kd8 (Ke8 similar)
9. g7 Qf7 (Qe7 10.Rh8+-)
10.Bh5 Qe7
11.Rh8 and black loses a rook, or
8. …..Qg7
9. Rg7 Rg7
10.Qd2 and black will add an exchange to the material already won.
I am tired, but convinced now that 1. Ng6 is winning in all lines for white. If there is something even more forcing, I will let others teach it to me.
1.Nxf5 threatening Qh8#
a)
1…Nf6
2.Nh6 Rg7
3.Qxf6+
loses a pawn and a knight.
b)
1…Rxf5?
2.Qg7#
c)
1…gxf5
2.gxf5
now if 2…Qh4
3.Rg7!!
now, if 3…Rxg7 4.Qxg7#
if 3…R(1)e7
4.Rg8+!! Kxg8 (forced)
5.Qh8#
if 3…Ke7
4.Rxf7+ Kxf7
5.Qg7#
Have to find out the right continuation for 2…Nf6
Why not simply 1.gxf5 gxf5 2.Qh8+ Ke7 3.Nxf5+. Looks strong.
Beelze
From Spain.
1)gf5,Qh4
2)fg6,hg6
3)Rg6 +-
1)gf5,gf5
2)Rg8+,Ke7
3)Rg7 +-
1)Nf5,Qf6!
1.Nxg6! beautiful hxg6 2.gxf5 (if 2…gxf5 3.Bh5! and not only the rook has a problem to be saved but White soon gains a decisive advantage for instance 3….Nf6 4.Bxf7 Kxf7 5.Kh1! avoiding Rg8 +-)
and 3.fxg6 +-