Simple Tactical Excercise

Originally posted by thelatermonths
..... Bf2+
Kf8 Rd1+
Rxd1 e2+
Kxf2 exd1+ Knight

That's part of it (although your move 2 should have read: Kf1 Rd1+).

But on white's response on move 3 could be:

3. Ke2 Rd2+
4. Kf1 e2+
Kxf2 e1=Q#

But this other line:

4. Qxd2 exd2+
Kxd2 Bc8

Just seems like a RBB vs RN (or BR vs R) endgame. Messy.

4. Qxd2 exd2+
Kxf2 Be4
Ke3 Bxf5+
Kxd2 Rd8+
Kc3 Rc8+
Kany Bxc2

Is a little neater with a RB vs R.

Maybe I missed something...

Ah, forget it ilywrin already solved it with a reversal of moves which completely eliminates the white King's choices (here it is for clarity's sake):

1. .. Rd1+
Rxd1 Bf2+
Rf1 e2+
Kxf2 exd1=N+
Kany Nxc3

ilywrin got it right:

1...Rd1+ 2.Rxd1 Bf2+ 3.Kf1 e2+ Kxf2 exd1N+ and an easy black win

In the actual game, Roth-Baumgarten 1959, the play went

1...Bf2+ 2.Kf1 Rd1+ 3.Ke2 Rd2+ 4.Qxd2+ exd2+ 5.Kxf2 Bf3 6.Nd6 Rf8 and white resigned

Black has a clearly won position already, but how do you finish off white most effectively?

Black to move.

Originally posted by cludi
[fen]r5k1/pbpp2pp/1p2p3/7q/2P1B3/P4r2/1P2nPPP/RQ3R1K b - -[/fen]

Black has a clearly won position already, but how do you finish off white most effectively?

Black to move.

1. Rxf2?

If 1. Rxf2 2. Ng3+ Kg1 3. Nxe4 and black is up 3 pawns and dominant position.

If 1. Bxb7 2.Rxf1+ Qxf1 3. Ng3+ Kg1 4. Nxf1 Bxa8 and black is up a queen to a rook.

Originally posted by cludi
[fen]r5k1/pbpp2pp/1p2p3/7q/2P1B3/P4r2/1P2nPPP/RQ3R1K b - -[/fen]

Black has a clearly won position already, but how do you finish off white most effectively?

Black to move.

1. ... Bxe4
2. Qxe4 Ng3+

Originally posted by richjohnson
1. ... Bxe4
2. Qxe4 Ng3+

That would lead to fxg3, Rxf1+ Rxf1.

So both sides lose a B and R and white loses an additional N.

I'm thinking:

Ng3+ fxg3
Rxf1+ Qxf1
Bxe4

Both sides lose a R and a minor piece and we ruin black's King-side pawn structure.

Originally posted by cludi
[fen]r5k1/pbpp2pp/1p2p3/7q/2P1B3/P4r2/1P2nPPP/RQ3R1K b - -[/fen]

Black has a clearly won position already, but how do you finish off white most effectively?

Black to move.

How about...

1...Bxe4
2. Qxe4 Rxf2
3. Rxf2 Ng3+ winning queen and bishop for rook and bishop.

Or if 3. Qd3 (for example), then ...Rxf1 4. Rxf1 Ng3+ winning two rooks and a bishop for bishop and knight.

I wouldn't call this a 'simple tactical exercise'. Nice one though

Originally posted by untergang
How about...

1...Bxe4
2. Qxe4 Rxf2
3. Rxf2 Ng3+ winning queen and bishop for rook and bishop.

Or if 3. Qd3 (for example), then ...Rxf1 4. Rxf1 Ng3+ winning two rooks and a bishop for bishop and knight.

After the first Rxf2 white can play Qxa8+ winning both rooks after Kf7 Rxf7+.

Originally posted by cludi
[fen]r5k1/pbpp2pp/1p2p3/7q/2P1B3/P4r2/1P2nPPP/RQ3R1K b - -[/fen]

Black has a clearly won position already, but how do you finish off white most effectively?

Black to move.

Oh wow, I was way off. I just finally saw it.

1. Rh3! gxh3
2. Qf3+ Bxf3
3. Bxf3#


Wow, cool. 🙂

Originally posted by GalaxyShield
After the first Rxf2 white can play Qxa8+ winning both rooks after Kf7 Rxf7+.

D'oh, completely missed that.

Originally posted by GalaxyShield
Oh wow, I was way off. I just finally saw it.

1. Rh3! gxh3
2. Qf3+ Bxf3
3. Bxf3#


Wow, cool. 🙂

Very well spotted, Josh.

I know this one was tough, but I thought it was a very
beautiful and somewhat unusual checkmate.

White to move

Originally posted by cludi
[fen]3rkb1r/pp3p1p/1q4p1/4nN2/4N3/8/PP2QPPP/R4RK1 w - -[/fen]

White to move

1. Qb5+ Qxb5
2. Nf6#

1. .. Nd7
2. Qxb6 axb6 (.. Nxb6, Nf6# ) (edit: dumb googly face)
3. Re1

1. .. Rd7
2. Qxb6 axb6
3. Nf6+ Kd8
4. Nxd7 Kxd7

Which wins the exchange in addition to doubling black's queenside pawns.