Today’s Chess Problem 10/13/11
hint: watch the f2 square…
on 10/13/2011 at 11:25 PM
I say the solution starts with a small religious conflict, a game of bait the bishop.
1. Bh6 ...If white responds and takes out the black bishop, Bxh6, then black moves the queen for check:
2. Qf2+ Kh1 (moving the king is white’s only move)3. Qf1+ Rxf1 (black checks white, setting up the queen as a sacrifice to force white to expose his rook)
4. Rxf1++ (black’s rook shoots down and kills white’s rook. With white’s king in the corner at h1 and the pawns blocking any exit, this is mate)
My issue with this problem is that it’s just too damn much effort writing up all the decision trees that are possible because this is NOT A FORCE. Black will always force white’s king into the corner, and will always “be winning” because white will lose at least 1 if not all 3 of his strong pieces, but the situation will almost always devolve into another “merry chase” scenario with white’s king wiggling around in the corner.
I don’t like these so-called “wins”. They’re asymptotic victories. I wrote up 3 of the trees in this comment, then erased them. 1. I don’t want to have to write book length comments; 2. I think the best response for white to black’s 1. Bh6 is Re1. The result of that bloodbath is that both sides are down to one rook and some pawns. Which makes for a pretty lame ending unless one side can get a promotion through cleanly (doubtful). A Pyrrhic victory at best.
So while “this one is easy” it’s also pretty lame IMO. Unless I totally missed the proper opening? No, I don’t think so. It’s the Bishop to h6. Everything else is suicidal for black.
A) you got it right Drew.
B) I suppose it would be considered ‘gauche’ to point out that I considered this an easy one at the outset?
Don’t know that anything else is ‘suicidal’ for Black. And remember, whether you like it or not, I’m posting problems from the book. I’m not making these up. And it’s entirely possible you could face this sort of position over-the-board. If you play in a tournament. And even the ‘solutions’ as we’ve seen, are subject to revision. Players like you and me pick holes in the alleged solutions. But not this time. 1. … Bh6 wins.
Not gauche; the solution is right there in front of me after a couple minutes of “what if” study.
Everything else is suicidal or at best weak, especially given your “the boldest attack is the right answer” clause from a few weeks ago. Black opening with Ra8 is utterly bad, as is Qf2 or Qe1 or worse, Qd1. Going for a pawn attack, Pxc5, is weak and puts black in a bad position when Qxc5 is the reaction. Rf3 or Rf2 seems pretty foolish first moves too. So Bh6 it is. But Re1 is a good counter, and I haven’t figured out what I’d call a “clean” win (say, 4 moves or less from that point) from there. Not your fault, I know; I’m a poor player, which is why I like the obvious ones, even if finding them is hard.
