White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Mar 11, 2010

By clicking submit, I authorize Arcamax and its affiliates to: (1) use, sell, and share my information for marketing purposes, including cross-context behavioral advertising, as described in our Privacy Policy , (2) add to information that I provide with other information like interests inferred from web page views, or data lawfully obtained from data brokers, such as past purchase or location data, or publicly available data, (3) contact me or enable others to contact me by email or other means with offers for different types of goods and services, and (4) retain my information while I am engaging with marketing messages that I receive and for a reasonable amount of time thereafter. I understand I can opt out at any time through an email that I receive, or by clicking here

This is an unusual position. Black has allowed White to take his bishop on f5 just so he could play Nd6, attacking the White queen. Black figures that no matter where White moves the queen, he can take the White knight on c3 and have a good game. White sees that Black has overlooked something. What is it?

Solution:

White plays the surprising 1.Bxc4 which leads to mate in a variety of ways: 1…e6 [to stop the check on f7. Taking the queen doesn’t work: 1...Nxf5 2.Bxf7#] 2.Bb5+ Ke7 [2...Nxb5 3.Qxf7#] 3.Nd5+ (3.Ng6+ does the same trick,too) exd5 4.Ng6+ hxg6 [4...fxg6 5.Bg5#] 5.Qe5#

Black can avoid the mates only by losing too much material:

1.Bxc4 e6 2.Bb5+ Nc6 3.Nxc6 Nxf5 4.Nxd8+ Kxd8 5.Ne4 and White is a piece up with an easy win. Another unsuccessful try for Black is 1.Bxc4 f6 2.Qh5+ g6 [2...Nf7 3.Qxf7#] 3.Nxg6 hxg6 4.Qxg6+ [Also good is:4.Qxh8 Nxc4 5.Qg8 Ne5 6.Bh6] 4...Kd7 5.Qg4+ Kc7 6.Nd5+ Kc6 7.Qe6 and White’s position is overwhelming.

This position is an invaluable lesson, not only in how to attack an uncastled king (remember how weak f7 was), but it also teaches us to not assume our opponent is going to cooperate!

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.