This position is based on problem 17 from The Ultimate Chess Puzzle Book: 1001 Original Chess Puzzles to Challenge All Standards of Player, from Beginner to Grandmaster, by John Emms. Black to move. Black has just played 1. …, b3.
Black is clearly intending to queen the b-pawn. What is the best play for white?
Consider the possible outcomes:
- We end up in a balanced position in which the pawn cannot advance and white is unable to capture it
- White captures the pawn without lose of material
- White captures the pawn but loses the exchange (rook for a bishop)
- Black queen’s and white cannot capture the queen
Black’s bishop can cover only b2, but black’s rook can cover the entire b-file. For this reason alone, it may be worthwhile to eliminate this option with 1. Rb7.
1. Rb7, b2 3. Bf1, Qd1 4. Qb4, Qxd5 and this seems to be case 1 above. If we try to transpose moves, then we have 1. Bf1, b2 2. Rb7 and we reach the same position.
Let’s look at the blockade of the pawn with the rook. Rc1, b2 2. Rb1 and now black has Qd3, Ra8, Rc8, and Re8. That’s a lot of options for black.
Another critical option is Qa3: 1. Qa3, b2 and now 2. Qb3 covering b1, d1, and d5.
So I’m considering either Rb7 or Qa3. Let’s see what Fritz thinks…
Fritz prefers Rb7 or Bf1. Fritz also ranks Kh2 fairly high. However, 1. Kh2, b2 2. Rb7 and now 2. …, Qxf2. Maybe that’s good for a computer, but I’m not playing that in a tournament!