A) 33... Re8 34.Qxf6 winning.

B) 33... Rg7 34.Bg8+ Kh8 35.Bf7+ Kh7 36.Bxh5 winning.

C) 33... Qe8 34.Bg8+ Kh8 35.Bxe5

C.1) 35... Qxd8 36.Bxf6+ Rg7 37.Bxg7+ Kxg8 38.Bf6+ winning.

C.2) 35... Rxe5 36.Qxf6 mate.

The position was about to collapse when white attacked. The final result will be a quick ending for black.

Here is the irony:If 35 ...xd8 36 xf6# and black rook stops his own queen from capturing at f6.

The back rank is defended only by the rook at f8, so dislodging this rook seems to be a decent idea. Is there a way?

Of course! That rook is also providing the only defense for the bishop at f6, and so 32.Rxf6 Rxf6 is an obvious try, and it comes with a couple nice side benefits:

[1] It removes a defender of Pe5 -- which is blocking our DSB from it's attack on h8 square (and this will be important if Bg8+ Kh8 occurs).

[2] It vacates the d-file, clearing the way for our queen to hit the back rank at d8. This is looking good. :-)

The opportunity to get my queen into the attack seems like the top priority, so 33.Qd8 it is, threatening 34.Qg8#. Here, I expect 33...Qe8 (activating the Q defensively seems better than 33...Re8). But either way, that original Bg8+ idea finally bears fruit!

32. Rxf6 Rxf6 seemed natural enough. But initially, I hesitated because I was having difficulty figuring out how, or if, I could get white's queen into the attack, which seemed to me to be the only adequate compensation for such a sacrifice. I figured that Qd8 would be met with Qe8. Then, I realized just how powerful a move 31. Bc4 was.

33. Qd8 Qe8 34. Bg8+ Kh8 followed in my mind. Since black's king was on h8, and I looked to my dark squared bishop on the a1-h8 diagonal. I hadn't yet involved him in the attack and it seemed natural to try and get him in on the action. I realized that, coupled with my queen on d8, that the pawn on e5 could be taken without being recaptured. Moreover, this combination created an overwhelming attack. In fact, 35. Bxe5 produced only one non mating line, Qxd8 and that left black in a hopeless endgame.

Oll vs Shaked, 1997 (32.?)

White to play and win.

Material: Even. The Black Kh7 has 1 legal move. The White battery Qd2 and Rd6 control the d-file. In addition, Rd6 attacks Bf6, burdening Rf8. The White Rg3 also has an open file, restricting the Black Kh7 to the edge of the board. With Rg3, the White Bc4 creates invasion possibilities at g8, defended also by the overburdened Rf8. The other White Bc3 attacks Pe5 and indirectly, Bf6 behind. The observations suggest that the attack should involve capture of Bf6, to deflect Rf8 from protection of g8 and promote invasion by Rg3 and Bc4. The Qd2 and Bc3 require activation.

Candidates (32.): Rxf6, e4

32.Rxf6 Rxf6 [else, drop a B]

Exactly. Now that I look back at it, Rxh3 works just as fine but ONLY because h6 is attacked twice after the Queen moves.

/C\
<32.Rxf6 Bxh3? 33.Rxh6†! K/Qxh6 34.Rxh3 > where the 2 cannot improve against the 2 + .

However, <32.Rxf6 Bxh3? 33.Rxh3 Qg5 34.Rhxh6† Kg7 35.Rhg6† > wins the exact same material with the White initiative, and White probably has better in the above line.

The "Indian Theme"!

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1.g8=N!!, b5; 2.Ne7, Kb4; 3.Nc6++

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