White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
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White to move. How should White proceed?
Source: ChessToday.net
How about 1. Qa4 just for fun?
1.Nh6 wins: gxh6 2.Qg3 Bg6 3.Qb8 and d8Q next
nh6 gh6 qg3 kf8 qb8 kg7 and maybe black squirms out
but as phil points out qa4 takes all the fun out of blacks game
I like 1.Qa4! followed by (lets say)
1…Qe3 2.Qxe4, and black can’t capture at e4 and d7.
Qa4, that is!!
1.Qg3 followed by 2.Qb8+ and queening the pawn.
If 1.-Qxd7, then 2.Nf6+ winning the Black queen.
1. Nh6 gh6
2. Qg3 Kf8
3. Qb8 Ke7
4. Qe8 Kf6 and white has a problem- his king is vulnerable to Qa1/Qh1.
All in all, I prefer Qa4 as suggested by PhilF.
1. Qa4 Qd3 (what else is there?)
2. Qe4 wins outright since neither the queen nor the pawn can be taken.
1.Qg3?? Qd1+ and 2….Qh1 mate!
I think 1.Qa4 is the correct move.
Qa4 does not work due to checks
1. Qa4 Qd1+
2. Kh2 Qd6+
3. KKg1 draws by repeating
3. Kh3 Qd3+
4. Kh2 and Qd6 wins the pawn
An exercise if ruling out the false leads. 1. Qg3? loses instantly to 1…Qd1+ 2. Kg2 Qh1#. The tempting 1. Nh6+ gxh6 2. Qg3+ Kf8 3. Qb8+ Kg7 4. d8=Q allows 4…Qa1+ 5. Kh2 Qh1+ 6. Kg3 Qf3+ 7. Kh2 Qg2#.
As pointed out by PhilF, simply 1. Qs4 cuts out all counterplay – no playable checks for Black, can’t take the pawn on d7, taking the queen loses to d8=Q+, and any other move loses to 2. Qxe4 whether the bishop is protected or not.
1.Qa4!, as PhilF suggested.
1.Nh6+? is weak: 1…gxh6 2.Qg3+ Kf8 3.Qb8+ Kg7 4.d8(Q)?? Qa1+ 5.Kh2 Qh1+ 6.Kg3 Qf3+ 7.Kh2 Qg2#
1.Qg3?? Qd1+ 2.Kh2 Qh1#
I checked the game after posting. He played Qa4 deflecting the queen. If 1…Qd3 2. Qxe4 again deflecting the queen. If 1…Qxa4 or 2…Qxe4 then d8(Q)+ and then mate.
In the game, black played 1…Qd2 and then just lost his bishop, resigning right away.
I played Qa4..
Qa4 wins. No possibility of checks at all. Black will lose the bishop soon after Qa4
If 1…Qd1 after Qa4, then QxQ–game over. There’s no good response to Qa4