One of the Hardest Combinations Ever Played

[Terry McCracken]

Very nice. Now that the solution has been posted, was this from an actual game? If so, could you post the complete score?

I know some people just like to watch the highlight reel, but I like to get the full story.

Here it is...

http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1472988

[Patatov]

What about this one?

This is mot a game but one of the nicest position I ever seen

[d]

[George Tsavdaris]

What about this one?

This is mot a game but one of the nicest position I ever seen

[d]

And how do you win this?
Is the following the best white can do or he can do more?
Note that the analysis i give results in white to reach an endgame with a Pawn more but very unclear....

[Event "90'+25"/10"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "????.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "New game"]
[Black "?"]
[Result "*"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/8/1p2PQ2/k1pN4/p7/2PK2pq/PP2P1np/8 w - - 0 1"]
[PlyCount "19"]
[TimeControl "10/5400+25:0/0:0/0"]

1. e7 Nf4+ 2. Qxf4 g2+ (2... Qh7+ 3. Kd2 $1 h1=Q 4. Qxa4+ Kxa4 5. e8=Q+ Ka5 6.
Qa8+ Kb5 7. Nc7+ Qxc7 8. a4+ Kc4 9. Qg8+ Qf7 10. Qxf7+ Qd5+ 11. Qxd5+ Kxd5 12.
Ke3 $18) 3. Kd2 Qd7 4. e8=Q Qxe8 5. Qxh2 Qg6 6. Qg1 Qh6+ 7. Ne3 Qd6+ 8. Kc1 Qh6
9. Qxg2 Qxe3+ 10. Kc2 *


For me one of the best is a startling move played by Karpov.
47.Ng2!!
[d]8/8/p2k1p2/1p1p3p/1P1P3p/P3NPP1/5K2/1b6 w - - 0 47

[Vinvin]

What about this one?

This is mot a game but one of the nicest position I ever seen

8/8/1p2PQ2/k1pN4/p7/2PK2pq/PP2P1np/8 w

White wins ? white draws ?

[Marc]

Thanks. That goes in my Fantastic Games database.

[Patatov]

You're almost there...
white wins as follow:

1.e7 Nf4+!
2.Qxf4! Qh7+!
(2... h1Q 3.Qxa4+ Kxa4 4.e8Q+ Ka5 5.Qa8+ Kb5 6.c4 mate)
3.Kd2 h1Q
4.Qxa4+!! Kxa4
5.e8Q+ Ka5
6.Qa8+ Kb5
7.Nc7+ Qxc7
8.a4+ Kc4
9.Qg8+!! Qd5+
10.Kc2 (this is what you missed) Qxg8
11.e4! and 12.b3 mate follow

[Patatov]

Sorry George I misread you... It seems you find the variation and just wrote the best moves (playing 9...Qf7+ loses as well but without allowing white to finish the masterpiece with their last two pawns moves).
I believe your variation is probably the best but white is probably still winning after 10.Kc2.
By the way this is a study by Aronov, 1982

[Kirk]

Interesting position. I tried adjusting Shredder Parameters, but this is as close as I got.

11/18 0:01 +2.98 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kh1 Re8 5.Bb5 a6 6.Bd7 (552.553) 448
12/21 0:01 +2.91 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kh1 Re8 5.Qxd6 Qxd6 6.Rxd6 g5 (819.246) 460
13/23 0:03 +3.05 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kh1 Re8 5.Qxd6 Qxd6 6.Rxd6 g5 7.Kg2 g4 (1.552.667) 462
14/27 0:05 +3.02 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kh1 a5 5.Rg1 Rc8 6.Rg3 (2.591.453) 467
15/28 0:09 +2.98 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kh1 a5 5.Rg1 a4 6.Rg3 (4.588.089) 476
16/33 0:19 +3.01 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 (9.551.863) 488
17/34 0:35 +3.26++ 1.Rxf6 exf6 (16.805.193) 476
17/35 0:51 +3.49 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.a4 a5 5.Kh1 g5 (24.429.903) 473
18/40 1:21 +3.25 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.a4 a6 5.Bxa6 Ng4 6.Bf4 (37.938.678) 464
19/40 2:34 +3.27 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.a4 a6 5.Rd4 b5 6.axb5 axb5 7.Kh1 (72.429.717) 469

[d]2r1q1kr/p3p2p/1p1pPbpB/4n3/4P3/2P5/PP2B2P/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 22

[Kirk]

Due to the fact there are too many good moves to look at and would also win, I will fast forward the position where only 1 move that is a sacrifice can win, but computers, and I mean all computers will think the move inferior, yet it's the best move!!

[d]2r1q1kr/p3p2p/1p1pPbpB/4n3/4P3/2P5/PP2B2P/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 22

Yes Terry this is well known and indeed one of the hardest.


The solution is of course(all forced for black):
1. Rxf6 exf6 2. Qxd6 Rc6 3. Qxe5!! fxe5 4.Rf1! and now black is doomed to wait the white light Bishop to pin and kill the black King....

After adjusting Shredder 6 parameters, the engine selected this line for a time before switching.

best move: Rf1xf6 time: 1:11.656 min n/s: 735.501 CPU 197.8% nodes: 52.703.065

Engine: Shredder 6 Tricky
by Stefan Meyer-Kahlen
11.01 0:01 +3.51 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rxe6 5.Bc4 Qf8 6.Rxf8+ (941.260) 725.7
12.01 0:02 +3.33 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Qe7 5.Bd1 Rc4 6.Bb3 a6 (2.197.842) 736.5
13.01 0:06 +3.58++ 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Qe7 5.Bd1 Rc4 6.Bb3 b5 7.Bxc4 bxc4 8.Rf7 (4.581.802) 724.0
13.01 0:11 +3.68 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Qe7 5.Bd1 Rc4 6.Bb3 b5 7.Kg2 (8.348.014) 717.1
14.01 0:25 +3.67 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rc8 5.Bg4 Qe7 6.Kh1 Qh4 7.Rf7 (18.692.932) 724.6
15.01 0:39 +3.42-- 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rc8 5.Bg4 Qe7 6.Kh1 a5 7.Rf8+ Rxf8 8.Bg5 (29.055.611) 737.3
15.01 1:00 +2.92-- 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rc8 5.Bg4 Qe7 6.Kh1 Rd8 7.Rf7 (44.789.402) 742.8
15.01 2:36 +2.85 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kg2 g5 5.Qxe5 (112.766.298) 719.5

[Terry McCracken]

Due to the fact there are too many good moves to look at and would also win, I will fast forward the position where only 1 move that is a sacrifice can win, but computers, and I mean all computers will think the move inferior, yet it's the best move!!

[d]2r1q1kr/p3p2p/1p1pPbpB/4n3/4P3/2P5/PP2B2P/R2Q1RK1 w - - 0 22

Yes Terry this is well known and indeed one of the hardest.


The solution is of course(all forced for black):
1. Rxf6 exf6 2. Qxd6 Rc6 3. Qxe5!! fxe5 4.Rf1! and now black is doomed to wait the white light Bishop to pin and kill the black King....

After adjusting Shredder 6 parameters, the engine selected this line for a time before switching.

best move: Rf1xf6 time: 1:11.656 min n/s: 735.501 CPU 197.8% nodes: 52.703.065

Engine: Shredder 6 Tricky
by Stefan Meyer-Kahlen
11.01 0:01 +3.51 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rxe6 5.Bc4 Qf8 6.Rxf8+ (941.260) 725.7
12.01 0:02 +3.33 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Qe7 5.Bd1 Rc4 6.Bb3 a6 (2.197.842) 736.5
13.01 0:06 +3.58++ 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Qe7 5.Bd1 Rc4 6.Bb3 b5 7.Bxc4 bxc4 8.Rf7 (4.581.802) 724.0
13.01 0:11 +3.68 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Qe7 5.Bd1 Rc4 6.Bb3 b5 7.Kg2 (8.348.014) 717.1
14.01 0:25 +3.67 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rc8 5.Bg4 Qe7 6.Kh1 Qh4 7.Rf7 (18.692.932) 724.6
15.01 0:39 +3.42-- 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rc8 5.Bg4 Qe7 6.Kh1 a5 7.Rf8+ Rxf8 8.Bg5 (29.055.611) 737.3
15.01 1:00 +2.92-- 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qxd6 Rc6 3.Qxe5 fxe5 4.Rf1 Rc8 5.Bg4 Qe7 6.Kh1 Rd8 7.Rf7 (44.789.402) 742.8
15.01 2:36 +2.85 1.Rxf6 exf6 2.Qd5 Qe7 3.Rd1 Rd8 4.Kg2 g5 5.Qxe5 (112.766.298) 719.5

I'm surprised any engine would consider this line

"Tricky" must have some interesting parameters!