Finding that 'Only Move'

[AdminX]

I got over excited in a blitz game today that I played on Lichess. In this position 21. Qxc5 holds a nice winning position.
[d]r3k2r/1q3p2/2nQb1p1/ppn1p1P1/4P3/4BP2/PPP5/1K1R1BR1 w - - 0 21

However I played the horrible 21. Bxc5?? and was well grounded by black's 21. ... Rd8!
[d]r3k2r/1q3p2/2nQb1p1/ppB1p1P1/4P3/5P2/PPP5/1K1R1BR1 b - - 0 21
[d]3rk2r/1q3p2/2nQb1p1/ppB1p1P1/4P3/5P2/PPP5/1K1R1BR1 w - - 0 22

It took me 1:05 to find a amazing resource in 22. Rh1!! (Only Move) which holds the position. Mind you, I was contemplating throwing in the towel at this point, you know capitulate and just get it over with. Luckily for me my opponent played the hideous 22. ... Rxh1?? allowing me to mate on f8. Otherwise the best I should hope for was a draw.

[d]3rk2r/1q3p2/2nQb1p1/ppB1p1P1/4P3/5P2/PPP5/1K1R1B1R b - - 0 22

[pgn] [Event "Rated Blitz game"] [Site "lichess.org"] [Date "2019.06.05"] [Round "?"] [White "TedSummers"] [Black "matei5555"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "B90"] [WhiteElo "1898"] [BlackElo "1901"] [Annotator "lichess.org"] [PlyCount "45"] [EventDate "2019.??.??"] [EventType "blitz"] [TimeControl "300"] [WhiteClock "0:02:20"] [BlackClock "0:02:35"] 1. e4 {0} c5 {0} 2. Nf3 {1} d6 {1} 3. d4 {1} cxd4 {1} 4. Nxd4 {1} Nf6 {0} 5. Nc3 {1} a6 {1 B90 Sicilian Defense: Najdorf Variation} 6. Rg1 {1} e5 {11} 7. Nb3 {1} Be6 {1} 8. g4 {1} h6 {4} 9. h4 {2} Be7 {5} 10. g5 {1} hxg5 {2} 11. hxg5 {0} Nfd7 {9} 12. Be3 {2} g6 {4} 13. Qd2 {3} Nc6 {3} 14. O-O-O {1} Qc7 {4} 15. Kb1 {1} b5 {10} 16. Nd5 {2} Qb7 {29} 17. f3 {34} a5 {11} 18. Nxe7 {4} Kxe7 {4} 19. Qxd6+ {1} Ke8 {2} 20. Nc5 {17} Nxc5 {3} 21. Bxc5 {1} Rd8 {8} 22. Rh1 {65} Rxh1 {47} 23. Qf8# {4 Normal White wins by checkmate.} 1-0 [/pgn]

[MikeGL]

Excellent game nice to see that tricky Rh1 saves your day.
It is always fun to trap a queen especially if you're in the winning side.
Thrilling to win in a 1min vs 1min online bullet (lightning) when I managed, luckily, to trap my opponents Q.

[pgn] [Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2019.05.25"] [Round "-"] [White "gmFunkPhenomena"] [Black "vrdasari"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "1834"] [WhiteElo "1787"] [TimeControl "60"] [Termination "normal"] [PlyCount "61"] [WhiteType "human"] [BlackType "human"] 1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bd3 O-O 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Qd2 Re8 8. O-O e5 9. Rfe1 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bh4 Qe7 12. dxe5 Ndxe5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Bb5 c6 15. Ba4 Qf7 16. Bb3 Be6 17. Qxd6 Bxb3 18. axb3 Rad8 19. Qc5 b6 20. Qe3 Ng4 21. Qf3 h5 22. h3 Ne5 23. Qe2 g5 24. Bg3 h4 25. Bxe5 fxe5 26. Red1 Rxd1+ 27. Nxd1 Rf8 28. Ne3 Qf4 29. Nf5 Bf6 30. g3 hxg3 31. fxg3 1-0 [/pgn]

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/3727150383

[AdminX]

Excellent game nice to see that tricky Rh1 saves your day.
It is always fun to trap a queen especially if you're in the winning side.
Thrilling to win in a 1min vs 1min online bullet (lightning) when I managed, luckily, to trap my opponents Q.

[pgn] [Event "Live Chess"] [Site "Chess.com"] [Date "2019.05.25"] [Round "-"] [White "gmFunkPhenomena"] [Black "vrdasari"] [Result "1-0"] [BlackElo "1834"] [WhiteElo "1787"] [TimeControl "60"] [Termination "normal"] [PlyCount "61"] [WhiteType "human"] [BlackType "human"] 1. e4 g6 2. d4 d6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 Bg7 5. Bd3 O-O 6. Be3 Nbd7 7. Qd2 Re8 8. O-O e5 9. Rfe1 Ng4 10. Bg5 f6 11. Bh4 Qe7 12. dxe5 Ndxe5 13. Nxe5 Nxe5 14. Bb5 c6 15. Ba4 Qf7 16. Bb3 Be6 17. Qxd6 Bxb3 18. axb3 Rad8 19. Qc5 b6 20. Qe3 Ng4 21. Qf3 h5 22. h3 Ne5 23. Qe2 g5 24. Bg3 h4 25. Bxe5 fxe5 26. Red1 Rxd1+ 27. Nxd1 Rf8 28. Ne3 Qf4 29. Nf5 Bf6 30. g3 hxg3 31. fxg3 1-0 [/pgn]

https://www.chess.com/analysis/game/live/3727150383

Yes indeed, that was sweet and no way to escape it.

[kliles]

In the initial diagrams in this thread it seems Black is missing the R on H8... had me confused why Qf8 was not decisive until I pushed through the rest of the thread... very nice indeed.

edit: My Bad - the Rook suddenly appeared (!) - maybe some strange artifact of my browser displaying the page... nevermind

[Nay Lin Tun]

How does Rh1 change the outcome of the game? Cos black blunder in 1 move trick?


But most strong players usually see such trap within a few seconds. What about Rg8 by black?

[Ras]

What about Rg8 by black?

Then Rh1-h7. After Rd8xd6 and Rd1xd6, White threatens to take the bishop on e6 with check. The covering pawn on f7 is pinned because of the queen on b7.

[AdminX]

What about Rg8 by black?

Then Rh1-h7. After Rd8xd6 and Rd1xd6, White threatens to take the bishop on e6 with check. The covering pawn on f7 is pinned because of the queen on b7.

+1

[Nay Lin Tun]

What about Rg8 by black?

Then Rh1-h7. After Rd8xd6 and Rd1xd6, White threatens to take the bishop on e6 with check. The covering pawn on f7 is pinned because of the queen on b7.

Then black can simply play Qc8. ( To defend bishop on e6 and avoid pin ). And white will lose with material deficit.

[MikeGL]

What about Rg8 by black?

Then Rh1-h7. After Rd8xd6 and Rd1xd6, White threatens to take the bishop on e6 with check. The covering pawn on f7 is pinned because of the queen on b7.

Then black can simply play Qc8. ( To defend bishop on e6 and avoid pin ). And white will lose with material deficit.

Actually you are right, black might win but position is complex and win can shift to either black or white.
I checked with engine, and your Qc8 actually loses with accurate play from white. There are ways to win for black but Qc8 is not it.

[jp]

What about Rg8 by black?

Then Rh1-h7. After Rd8xd6 and Rd1xd6, White threatens to take the bishop on e6 with check.

Then black can simply play Qc8. And white will lose with material deficit.

black might win but position is complex and win can shift to either black or white.
I checked with engine, and your Qc8 actually loses with accurate play from white. There are ways to win for black but Qc8 is not it.

SF's PV tells us White ends up worse but not losing, with BPP vs R.