Hanging on by a thread

Originally posted by mcreynolds
Qg2

1. Qg2? leads to the same as 1. Qf6 after 1. ...Rb8!
Black will play Bf5 next move, then proceed to slowly strangle white.

Edit: On 2. Bb3 black already picks up a pawn with Qe1+ and Qxe5+.

1 h5

...I Just came accross your game"hanging on by a thread" i dont normally put anything down in the forums,but i do read them tho....your game, i had just to reply...my first split-second thought on your game is this is lost....and after 5mins of study i cant see the draw? 1Qf6 is as you pointed out met by 1....Rb8.....1Qf4 both 1...Rb2 and 1...Bf5 looks very good if im not wrong after 1...Rb2 you must now play 2Qf6 then 2...Rb8...also i disagree that 1...Bf5 2e6 draws....2...Bxe6 then if 3Qf6 Rb8....or 3Qd6 h5!....I could go into all the line that win from here....1h5....looks like whites best shot in this position....Over the board club games or tournaments anything can happen and normally does...you did well to get a draw in this position.

Originally posted by mcreynolds
1 h5

1. h5! is indeed the right first move. The point is that black cannot let the pawn advance to h6, because then he would have to take care of a possible mate on g7 as well as a possible mate on the back row; in other words, his rook would have to guard the back row, and he would have to play Bf5 to prevent the white queen from coming to f6. After this he has no real winning chances.

So, 1. h5! gxh5!.



Next move?

I spent too long on my reply and someone has got in with 1. h5 first. However I'm not yet convinced it is a draw .

1. h5 gxh5
2. Qf6 Rb8
3. Qf4 Bf5

and if 4. e6 Rf8 Black looks much better to me.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
I spent too long on my reply and someone has got in with 1. h5 first. However I'm not yet convinced it is a draw .

1. h5 gxh5
2. Qf6 Rb8
3. Qf4 Bf5

and if 4. e6 Rf8 Black looks much better to me.

Yup, 2. Qf6? Rb8 3. Qf4 Bf5! probably loses for white.

There's a better 2nd move however.

....2Kh4 looks quite good for white....im not sure what black would play next? this position is quite deceiving....my first thought late last night is this looks lost....1h5 tho is quite good.....not sure what black plays next 2...Rb2...i would be tempted to play 2...Rb8 as i see black is going to have probs at the back!

I think Kh4 is the right move too, once the king advances to h6, Qg2 is one step away from a back row mate, so black will have to bring his rook back, and the threat is gone.

Black has a sneaky Bd7 move, with the idea of blocking the back rank check with Be8 - after Qxe8+ White's queen is on a white square and so cannot continue the checks after Kg7.

E.g.

1. h5 gxh5
2. Kh4 Bd7
3. Qf6?? Qxd2
4. Qd8+ Be8!
5. Qxe8+ Kg7 and Black wins

White needs to find a better reply to 2. ... Bd7 if 2. Kh4 is supposed to be the drawing move.

Originally posted by Fat Lady
Black has a sneaky Bd7 move, with the idea of blocking the back rank check with Be8 - after Qxe8+ White's queen is on a white square and so cannot continue the checks after Kg7.

E.g.

1. h5 gxh5
2. Kh4 Bd7
3. Qf6?? Qxd2
4. Qd8+ Be8!
5. Qxe8+ Kg7 and Black wins

White needs to find a better reply to 2. ... Bd7 if 2. Kh4 is supposed to be the drawing move.

2. Kh4! is indeed the drawing move. The game continued
2. ..Rb2 (? - loses a tempo)
3. Qf6 Rb8
4. Kxh5! Qxd2
5. Kh6 Kf8
6. Qh8+ Ke7
7. Qxb8 Qxd1
and ended in a draw by perpetual after 8. Qd6+ Ke8 9. Qb8+ Ke7 10. Qd6+ Ke8 11. Qb8+ Ke7 etc.

When the starting position was reached my opponent and I were already in some time trouble so I doubt we would have found all the best answers all the time.

There are a number of better tries for black at move 2: Bf5, Bg4, Rb8, and Bd7 like you said.
However, I do think it will end in a draw if white applies the best defense.

After 2. ..Bg4 or 2. ..Bd7 white can draw by sacrificing another pawn

3. e6!



A pawn sac to open more lines for the white queen!
If black takes the pawn with his f-pawn, white plays 4. Qf6 after which a perpetual is inevitable (If black then would continue Rb8?! white may even have some winning chances after 5. g6!), whether the bishop is on d7 or g4 is irrelevant then.
So black replies 3. ..Bxe6 and the lines transpose.

3. ..Bxe6
4. Qf6! Rb8
5. Qf4!
This move threatens 2 different things: Qxb8+ and the king march to h6. If black moves his rook off the back rank, white simply plays Qf6, repeating moves. So:

1) 5. ..Rf8
This move protects f7 but at the same time lets white simply march his king up to h6.
6. Kxh5! Bf5!
Because Qf6 must be prevented at all costs.
7. Kh6! Ra8
8. Qd6!
Preventing Ra6+ and threatening Qf6. Note that if black would now play Be6?? he would even lose after Qe5! Kf8 Qxc5+! Kg8 (Ke8 Qc6+) Qxd4 when white picks up a few pawns.
8. ..Qxd2
9. Qf6 Kf8
10. Qh8+ Ke7
11. Qf6+!
The simplest. Now Kf8 leads to repetition, Kd7?? even loses after Qxf5+, while Ke8 is answered by Qc6+.

second line:

2) 5. ..Ra8
This move prevents white from moving his king to h6, but loosens the defense of f7, which white will now try to exploit.
6. Bxh5!
It turns out that black can't try anything in this position. Qe1+ runs into Rf2 and Qh1+ into Rh2, his rook is bound to the protection of the back rank and he can't move his bishop because of Qxf7+.

I'll try to work out the other lines (2. ..Rb8 and 2. ..Bf5) soon enough, but the position is very complex so it might take some time.

2) 5. ..Ra8
This move prevents white from moving his king to h6, but loosens the defense of f7, which white will now try to exploit.
6. Bxh5!
It turns out that black can't try anything in this position. Qe1+ runs into Rf2 and Qh1+ into Rh2, his rook is bound to the protection of the back rank and he can't move his bishop because of Qxf7+.

That's a very interesting line. I like the e6 pawn sac by White.

However, Black's rook is not trapped on the back rank unless White is threatening the d8 / f6 perpetual (or if the White king has found its way to h6).

So
5. ... Ra8
6. Bxh5 Qe1+
7. Rf2

Black may be able to get his rook into the game with 7. ... Ra7 and then 8. ... Rb7. White's best try looks like 8. Qb8+ Kg7 9. Qg3 (9. Qxa7 Qxf2#!) and Black is starting to look a little ropey. The threat is 10. Rxf7+, picking up the queen on e1. After 9. ... Qh1+ 10. Rh2 Qb1 the position is very double edged and I'm not sure if Black has enough for a win anymore.

Originally posted by schakuhr
3. e6!

[fen]6k1/3b1p1p/4P3/2p3Pp/2Pp3K/p2P4/P2R1Q2/1rqB4 - - 0 0[/fen]

3. ..Bxe6
4. Qf6! Rb8
5. Qf4!
This move threatens 2 different things: Qxb8+ and the king march to h6. If black moves his rook off the back rank, white simply plays Qf6, repeating moves.

Can black not play 5. ... Rb6 and continue
6. Qf6 Rd6
7. Qf4 Rc6

I haven't completely analysed this line but I haven't found a draw for white and white is definitely still in trouble.

Originally posted by PaddyB
Can black not play 5. ... Rb6 and continue
6. Qf6 Rd6
7. Qf4 Rc6

I haven't completely analysed this line but I haven't found a draw for white and white is definitely still in trouble.

I guess 6.Qc7 is the intended move here. Black's best try would be 6...h6 [6...Qxd2 7.Qd8+! = ] but after 7.Qd8+ Kh7 8.g6+ looks like draw to me.
P.S. In the original position Black also has the option of Qc3 together with Bf5, Bd7, Bg4 and Rb8. The move is aimed at protecting the "d8" square via Qa5 and Qa8(d8) to aid the defense. I am not sure it would win though but it is still a try worth mentioning.