There is a lot going on in this position, so let's
take stock:
White is:
I'll guess most of us want to find a way to make use
of that discovered check, so let's take a look at that line first:
1.Be3+ Kg8 2.d4 (2.Qh7+ Kf7 3.Qg6+ Kg8
Black opts here for the perpetual check [White alternates checks
between Qh7 & Qg6] as 3...Ke7 4.Qxg7+ Rf7 5.Qg8 leaves White
winning with lots of extra potential queens)
2...Qxc4 3.Kf3 Qf1+ (other options exits here; it's a good
position to analyze, and I leave you to it.)
4.Kg3 Qe1+ 5.Kg4 Qd1+ 6.Rf3 Bxd4 7.Bxd4 Qxd4+ 8.Kh3 a5
Analysis Diagram: after 8...a5
The outside passer gives Black the advantage here, so what other tries
are there from the starting position?
1.Kd5 leads to
mate after 1...Qe5+ 2.Kc6 Qc7+ 3.Kd5 Qb7+ 4.Ke6 Qc6+ 5.Ke7 Bc5 mate;
likewise 1.Kf4 Bc7 mate.
1.Re3
White still threatens mate on g7, and now she threatens Black's queen
as well, at the same time interfering with the black queen's ability
to get to e7, from where she could protect against the mate on g7.
Here, of course, 1...Bxe3 fails to 2.Qxg7 mate.
1...Qxe3+
Black must defend against the mate, and
doesn't have time to save the queen, so he decides to get the most in
return for her that he can...
2.Bxe3
...but it's not enough. White will win this ending easily
because of her overwhelming material advantage.
Problem
of the Week Archive
Tactics, Tactics,
Tactics...
