Chess problem 37 / Schachaufgabe 37
English
Today you have to deal with a position which I just have created as a little brain teaser for you. Yes, black has a somewhat cramped position, but on the other hand he has a clear material advantage. Nevertheless it's white who will decide this exciting battle in his favor - do you find the moves which ensure the victory? :)
Deutsch
Heute habt ihr es mit einer Stellung zu tun, die ich mir gerade als kleine Kopfnuss für euch ausgedacht habe. Ja, die schwarze Stellung sieht etwas verkrampft aus, aber immerhin verfügt er über einen klaren materiellen Vorteil. Dennoch ist es Weiß, der aus dieser aufregenden Schlacht als Sieger hervorgehen wird - sehr ihr, welche Züge ihm den Sieg bescheren? :)
Fastest solution (found by @iceblue, but congrats also to @smartlegend for mentioning the winning move 1. Rh5! first):
Final position:
Wow, now that was really something for chess epicures, where strategical elements were combined with tactics and endgame play!
Yeah. Well-done guys! {3}. h4 eases a lot of stress and is sound. Good chess.
I disagree
And white wins (even if only after 1. ... gxh5 there follows a spectacular checkmate).
And white has a clear advantage.
Clear advantage isn't a win and it could take more than 13 moves.
It is a winning position, black will lose for sure.
The only critical move is 1. ... gxh5, because after every other move black simply has lost the knight, while his position is still bad. Therefore it is logical and most interesting to examine first what happens after 1. ... gxh5 which ends in a forced checkmate. Nobody wrote that white will always win within 13 moves.
You wrote the "Fastest solution". I can find a faster solution if I played both sides.
Or
is it a clear win for black?
Its a loss for black. Bishop performs better than Knight in open games like this. Besides, White also has better position and material advantage.
Right, especially as the knight is trapped anyway in his variation ... :)
I still disagree
White is risking a stalemate.
Ok, let's play a game from the start position until the end. I have white, you black. The winner gets 1000 Steem from the loser. That should make things clear. :-)
I found an even better move.
1.Rxh5 gxh5
2.Bh6 h4!
Now I can move my Knight. f1 g3 h5 g7 ...
Check my solution above: I wrote myself that 2. ... h4 extends the number of moves until chekmate, but it doesn't help in the end ...
I wish I had 1000 Steem. And I'm no grandmaster.
I allow you the help of any chess software you wish. :)
No fun using software. Found another move though.
My friend, "Mr. disagree", the problem is solved, finished, "Ende Gelände". Try again next time and good luck! :-)
No black move helps here ... we cannot analyse every single possible black move ... if you decide for one variation I can show you how to refute it, but I have not the time to examine one hopeless move after the other. :)
If you cannot analyse every single black move then you cannot claim that a precise move is a sure victory.
It' that after e4xNf4 I'm forced to move a pawn so I studing if there' someway to get a stalemate.
The idea 1.Txh5 has already been mentioned: 1...gxh5 2. Lh6, yes!, cuts the king off on the back rank 2...Sf1 3.b5 - now black can not take with 3...axb5 due to 4.cxb5 and white creates a passed pawn with a5-a6, hence 3...Sg3 4.e4 h4 (moving the knight back and forth does not help either) 5. c5! - now black has to take with 5....dxc5 otherwise white will play c5-c6 winning again by creating a passed pawn - 6.b6 cxb6 7.d6 Sh5 8.d7 Sf4+ (a last try) 9. Ke3 +-
I think that is the winning line isn't it? ; if Black does not take back the rook on h5 white should win as well (the knight on h2 seems to be lost), but the lines are not that forced I think.
Rather good! I write it down as an overseeable 'move chain'. :)
This possibility to play 8. ... Nf4+ is the reason why neither 3. e4 nor 3. c5 nor 3. b5 is the fastest way to win.
What is the fastest way to win as white after
??? :-)
Okey, then 3. h4 in order to prevent black playing h4 himself; with that move the black knight cannot go to h5 any longer and is stuck in the corner. That should be the right idea, right?
Congrats, finally you got it! :)
1.Rxh5, gxh5
2.Bh6, Nf1
3.e4, ......
(white plays with an active king on the queen side & wins the game)
Interesting ... but I need a clear win now, not a general evaluation! :)
Ok I also think this is the only line that can give a clear win. Ideas of Bf4 to trap the knight on f1 seems too slow and will allow black pieces to activate the rook... So:
1.Rxh5, gxh5
2.Bh6, Nf1
3.c5 dxc5
4.bxc5 and black cannot stop d6 d7 d8
3... Ng3
4.c6 bxc6
5.dxc6 Nxf5
6.b5 and now the a pawn will become the hero
Edit: I just noticed black can do Nxh6 and Kg7 to stop the pawn. Maybe we should keep e4 somewhere hehe
I will have time to reply later ... but indeed you should consider how game will continue after your 3. ... Ng3.
1.Rxh5, gxh5
2.Bh6, Nf1
3.e4, ......
After,
3.e4. Ng3 (Ng3 is a total waste of time by black. the black Night has no game left)
OR
3.e4, b6
4.b5, bxa5
5.bxa6, a4
6.a7, ......
(white queens first and wins the game)
IF blacks responds {4}....., axb5. White proceeds to queen with {5} a6, ..
OR
3.e4, c6
4.dxc6, bxc6
5.b5, cxb5
6.cxb5, axb5
7.a6, ...
(White goes on to win the game again)
Now, as you wrote, pawn moves like 3. ... b6 or 3. ... c6 are just suicide.
Therefore the only moves which don't lose immediately are knight moves or 3. ... h4 (3. e4 is only a transposition of moves: in case of 3. c5 black answers with 3. ... Ng3, then 4. e4 is necessary).
But want I want to know from you is how exactly white wins after:
How will you continue as white?
After black plays 4.Ng3
5.c5,dxc5
6.bxc5,Nh1 or Nf1
7.d6,cxd6
8.cxd6,Nf2+
9.Qd2,Nxh3
10.d7, black resigns.
(white queens with d8 and check mates black.)
How does white continue? (By the way neither 3. e4 nor 3. c5 are the fastest winning moves here, but I accept them as long as you win in the end. :) )
Maybe I should add why I am so persistent to play all moves until the bitter end: you should be aware that chess friends of many different levels are watching here. Not for all of them it is so obvious how white can win at all, if black just waits and just does nothing ... :)
Are these the first two moves?
No. :)
Oh :D
White bishop to H6. Black to move..
I prefer move orders instead of single moves ... :)
how long have you been playing chess?
you're so good at it.. keep it up! :)
Many years ... want to learn it, too? :)
Hello..how many moves???
Find it out. :)
I'm not too good at chess. My brother is though.
Ask him ... :)
well wished i knew chess ..would be in my college chess team !!!
Nice lessons! I love chess.