White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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Women’s GP Chess Tactic
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White to move. How should white proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
1. Ba6 doesnot work.
But 1. Ra6! works.
Ra6 wins easily 🙂
Good one…!
1.Ra6 Bxa6 (Rxa6 would lose the guard on a8 due to Bxa6 and Bxa6 and the threat of the e3 pawn is gone too)
2.a8=Q Ra2
3.Kh3 Rxe2 (3. Kf1 loses to Bxe2+ and then the new born Queen is lost too; 3. Kg1 transposes to Kh3 to avoid repetition of moves)
4.Qxa6 Rd2
5.Qe6 (to prevent the advancing of e pawn) e2
6.Kg4 Rc2
7.h4 Kh7
8.Kxf4 Ra2
9.Qe3 Rc2
10.Ke4 Ra2
11.Kf4 Rc2
12.Kg3 Ra2
13.Kf2 e1=Q+
14.Kxe1 and now White has a clear advantage
1. Ra6
and the a pawn queens, or if 1… Bb7, 2. RxR
Does not work is 1. Ba6:
1. Ba6? Ra2+
2. Kf1 Bxa6+
the check gives the extra tempo to stop the a-pawn
if 1. Ba6? Ra2+ 2. Kg1 Ra1+ and black can at least draw by perpetual.
Ba6!
Rb6 to clear the way for the pawn to queen. Love this tactic.
Ra6!!, if Bb7 then take rook. If BxR then promote if RxR then BxR and Promotion
Ra6 seems to win on the spot. greets! jan
Ra6 should do it.
Ra6
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,interesting puzzle.
White wins the game[ Variations exist ]
As usual – I am anxious to know others approach to this puzzle,so I will post my set of moves,after seeing others set of moves for this puzzle.
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]
1. Ba6 loses to 1… Ra2+ – the K must go to g1 or h1 (else B:a6 is check). Then 2…B:a6 3. a8Q Ra1+ 4. Kg2 (forced) Bf1+ and 5… R:a8 leaves black in a pawn up ending.
The right idea is 1. Ra6 B:a6 2. a8Q Ra2 3. Kh3 and black’s best is …R:e2 reaching a difficult but probably winning ending for white.
1.a8N!!
1. Ba6 seems to clear the way of Pa7, but…
1. … Ra2+!
the white king can go to f1, g1 or h1
2. Kf1 Bh3+!
3. Ke1 Ra1+ (Kg1 Ra1#)
4. Bf1#
2. Kg1/h1 Bh3! threatens Ra1+ with mate
3. Rb1 Rxa6 -+
So it seems that 1.Ba6 does not work, but
1. Ra6! does the trick.
1. … Bxa6
2. a8=Q Ra2
3. Qxa6 Rxa6
4. Bxa6 seems to be the best for Black, but White wins easily.
My first thought is Rb8, but after a few minutes of thought, I don’t see how white can win the game, which I assume is the goal of the puzzle:
1. Rb8 Ra7 (Bb7?? 2.Rb7 with check)
2. Rc8 Ra2!
And white can’t protect the bishop since the king is cut off from f2, and if he plays Kf1, black just checks from a1 and drives him back to g2. I would evaluate this as drawn as I don’t see how either side can make progress.
Now, what else is there? I did briefly consider 1.Ba6, like the anonymous commenter above, but this clearly loses:
1. Ba6?? Ra2!
2. Kg1
Or [2.Kh1 Bh3! 3.Bd3 Ra1 4.Bb1 e2! 5.Rg6 Kf8 6.Rg1 Bf1-+]. Continuing:
2. …..Ba6
3. a8Q Ra1!
4. Kg2
Or [4.Rb1 Rb1 5.Kg2 Bf1 6.Kg1/h1 Bh3#]. Continuing:
4. …..Bf1
5. Kg1 Ra8
6. Kf1 Ra2 and black should have a decisive edge with the white king trapped for the moment, the advanced and protected e-pawn, and the pawn advantage.
The anonymous commenter with the Ba6 suggestion has the right sort of idea, but it is the rook that must offer himself at a6:
1. Ra6!! Ba6 (Ra6 2.Ba6 Ba6 3.a8Q)
2. a8Q Ra2 (what else?)
3. Kh3! Re2 (again, what else?)
4. Qa6 Rc2
5. Qe6 e2 (again, what else?)
6. Kg4! and white is going to win the other two pawns and then turn her attention to bringing the king back to win either the rook or the e-pawn, too.
Hi Susan Polgar,
Well,as there isn’t any doubt about the initial move “Ra6” leads to win,I think a complete set of moves not required at this standard of this site/blog.
Now “Rb8” – If the opponent player is strong,then “Rb8” will lead to repeated move draw.
To make this post interesting,let me give in “Rb8” complete set of moves but repeated move draw is denied as a rule( Cool – Just an assumption to make things interesting )
Example[ Variations exist ]
=======
1.Rb8 Ra2
2.a8(Q) R*Be2+
3.Kf1 Rf2+
4.Kg1 Bh3
5.Rg8+ Kh7
6.Rh8+ Kg7
7.Qg8+ Kf6
8.Qd8+ Kf7
9.Qc7+ Kf6
10.Rf8+ Ke6
11.Re8+ Kd5
12.Rd8+ Ke6
13.Qd7+ Ke5
14.Re8+ Kf6
15.Qe7+ Kf5
16.Qe5++ Mate
By
Venky [ India – Chennai ]