Chess

[Gustaran]

@Rowain

Bxh7+ Kxh7; Qh5 Kg8; Bxg7 Kxg7; Qg4+ Kh7; Rf3 and now Nf4; Wouldn't Rxf4 simple kill the Knight and what is the benefit for black? It is well possible that I miss something there

You are getting closer. Indeed, what is the benefit for Black? Keep in mind White has already sacrificed two bishops.

[regoarrarr]

Pindicator - join our next team match!

[Rowain]

@Rowain

Bxh7+ Kxh7; Qh5 Kg8; Bxg7 Kxg7; Qg4+ Kh7; Rf3 and now Nf4; Wouldn't Rxf4 simple kill the Knight and what is the benefit for black? It is well possible that I miss something there

You are getting closer. Indeed, what is the benefit for Black? Keep in mind White has already sacrificed two bishops.

@Gustaran

I wouldn't say closer. More that I have dismissed it as not really worthy for black earlier (with the continuation of ... Qxf4; Qxf4) . I can see now why the knight-move is the better way. That's one reason why I'm not a GM .

[uberfish]

The awful bishop on c8 really ruins black's position in this game...

After Nxf4 Rxf4 black can just play f5 which takes away the g4 checking square from the rook and creates an escape route for his king. This leads back to the idea of deflecting the knight first with Nb6, which is probably what black missed.

[Gustaran]

@uberfish: That's correct.

[Gustaran]

Just found an awesome problem (which I failed to solve) in the book "Invisible Chess Moves". This is mostly difficult stuff, sometimes even missed by grandmasters.

White to move

a) Black mates or wins at least a piece. White might as well resign
b) White can defend and play on while retaining a small advantage
c) White is able to win immediately with the correct move

[MJW (ya that one)]

White has to play Kh1 and pray... What's so hard to see about that? I wasted 5 minutes looking for a problem move. The king moving away from the attack is never a problem move.

[Gustaran]

@MJW

Why does White have to pray after Kh1?

[MJW (ya that one)]

@MJW

Why does White have to pray after Kh1?

Any other move looses a piece at once. So he has to play Kh1. If he has to play Kh1 he might as well do it at once to save time on the clock and hope. Of course, Black has nothing otherwise this would not be a problem. The answer has to be "B".

[Gustaran]

@MJW

That is correct. The idea is that after 1. Kh1 Qf1+ White has the defense 2. Bg1.

It might be inteersting for you to know that this diagram is from the game Salo Flohr - Henry Grob and White actually resigned in this position! Given that Flohr's historical Elo is estimated at 2754 in 1935 which would make him #2 in the world at this time, I thought this was pretty difficult to see.