Alexey Troitzky . The ‘Godfather ‘ of chess composers. Here we can see one of his greatest compositions. Published in Deutsche Schachzeitung in 1907. (The original winning procedure has undergone minor corrections since, but the solution below is correct.)
What is remarkable of this composition is not so much that the Queen will be dominated by the Rook and Bishop (there are many such examples of this), but that the Queen will be dominated on an open board — the Queen’s own hunting ground!
Let’s see how it is done!
[FEN "6R1/8/2pB3k/2P4p/5p1q/5P2/4P1K1/8 w - - 0 1"]
{[#]}
1.Bf8+ Kh7 2.Rg7+ Kh8 {[#]} 3.Be7{[#]} Qe1 4.Bf6!{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The winning method is largely based on the theme of the discovered check, though, of course, it is more complex than this. The Black Queen must be careful where she goes.</strong>} Qxe2+ {[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;"> Similar to the game solution – and equally elegant-is the natural </strong> }4...Qc1$5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 5.Kh2!
Qc2 6.Ba1 Qc4 7.Kh1 h4 8.e3!{<strong style="color:black;">Opening up the board for the Rook to try to catch the Black Queen! </strong> } h3 9.Bf6 h2 10.Ba1 Qa2 11.Ra7+ )
({<strong style="color:black;">Or if instead </strong> } 4...h4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 5.Kh2! Qd2 6.Rd7+ )
5.Kh1!{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Ofcourse not </strong> } 5.Kg1? Qe1+ 6.Kh2 Qe6!{<strong style="color:black;">and the game should end in a draw, as the reader can verify for himself. White needs to be able to answer a back rank check with the White Rook retreating and snaring the Queen. </strong> } )
({<strong style="color:black;"> Nor </strong> } 5.Kh3? Qe6+ )
Qe6{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
({<strong style="color:black;">Or if instead </strong> } 5...Qc4 6.Ba1!{<strong style="color:black;">which is identical to the game continuation </strong> } ( 6.Kh2? Qa6 7.Bd4
Qc4 8.Ba1 Qa2+ ) )
({<strong style="color:black;">It is absolutely remarkable that White can still win after the obvious </strong> } 5...Qxf3+{[#] <strong style="color:red;">but the removal of this White pawn actually helps White’s Rook to eventualy snare the Black Queen in a discovered check!
For example: </strong>} 6.Kh2! Qe3{<strong style="color:black;"> The cruel reality that there is no better square for the Black Queen.</strong> } 7.Re7+ Kg8 8.Rxe3
fxe3 9.Kg2 Kf7 10.Be5 Ke6 11.Bf4 e2 12.Kf2 Kd5 13.Bd6 h4 14.Kxe2
h3 15.Kf2 h2 16.Kg2 )
6.Bd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qc4 7.Ba1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">The Bishop moves must be well timed, to expose the Black Queen. Now any Queen move will allow the Rook to pick her up, so Black is left with pawn moves only…</strong>} h4 8.Bf6 Qe6 9.Bd4 Qc4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>}
10.Ba1 h3 11.Bf6 Qe6 12.Bd4{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} Qc4
( 12...Qd5{[#] <strong style="color:red;"></strong>} 13.Ba1 ( 13.Rd7+ )
h2 14.Rg5+ Kh7 15.Rxd5 cxd5 16.c6 )
13.Ba1 h2{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Black has now exhausted all of his Pawn moves.</strong>} 14.Bf6 Qe6 15.Bd4
Qc4 16.Ba1{[#] <strong style="color:red;">Zugzwang. The Black Queen has no good move, and if she tries to swindle White with Qc3 or Qd4, White simply gives a Rook check on g8 and then takes the Queen with the Bishop.</strong>} 1-0
You must activate JavaScript to enhance chess game visualization.
You might also be interested in…
