Find the best move for White.
honorbear v. violapterin, Sep. 7, 2019
1. … Rg7 (Fig.)
★ Spoiler alert! See below for the answer. ★
The main line is supposed to be the better response. The underlined are the actual continuation in the game.
Now, Black seems to have trapped the white queen … or has he?
2. Rxa6+!
By sacrificing the rook, White have not only saved his queen, but is also unfolding a series of possible attack, as follows.
[2. … Kxa6? 3. Qxd5 Nf6 {responding to 4. Qxb7#}
[(3. …Rc7 4. Rb6+! Nxb6 5. Qb5+ Ka7 6. axb6+ {winning back the rook in no time!} Kb8 7. Qe8+ Qc8 8. Qe5 {pinning the rook} Rg5 9. bxc7+ Qxc7 10. Qe8+ Qc8 11.Qxc8+ Kxc8 ± {White has 4 pawns for the black rook, which is certainly playable.})
[4. Qb5+
[(4. Rb6+ {also possible} Ka7 5. Nb5+ Ka8 6. Ra6+ Kb8 7. Qe5+ Rgc7 8. Nxc7 bxa6 9. Nd5+ Kb7 10. Qxf6± {10. … Bg7? Qb6+. White is threatening mate, or taking the Black bishop, or the pass a-pawn})
[4. … Ka7 5. Qb6+
[(5. … Ka8? 6. Nb5 1-0 {the only way for Black to continue is giving up the bishop: 6. … Bc5 7. dxc5 Qd1+ 8. Kg2 Qd5+ 9. Rf3 Qxc5 10. Rxf6 Qxb6 11. axb6 ± and white is up in material.})
[5. … Kb8 6. Qxf6 Qg5 7. Qe5+ Qxe5 8. dxe5]
While Black has a rook for a knight, White just has too many pawns. Still Black may want to give it a try.
2. … bxa6! 3. Qxd5 Nf6 4. Qe5 ±
Now b5 is guarded, and there is no 4. Qb5+. See what crucial effect it has on the game! The tension is dissolved, and Black retains material.
Sketchbook 