1. Ke4 Kg3 (otherwise white wins the f-pawn and the game) 2. Kd5 Kg4 (now black is not in time to trap white's K on the a-file) 3. Kc6 Kxf5 4. Kb7 Kg4 (i don't think other squares are better) 5. Kxa7 f5 6. Kb6 f4 7. a7 f3 8. a8=Q f2 9. Qg2 +-
4. Nd6! Rh8 [otherwise Nc8-b6-d7 mates] 5. Rb6 Ka8 6. Nb5 Rc8+ 7. Nc7+ Rxc7+ 8 Kxc7 and wins. White moves his R back to the second rank, chases the black king back to a3 after a Kc4, and then finishes with Rg2, putting Black in Zugzwang.
1. Rd7+
A. Ke1 Re7 ->Rxe5
B. Kc3 Rd3
C. Kc2 Rd1 with a pin one way and a skewer the other (or Re1)
D. Ke3 Rd3+
... Kf2 Rd2
... Kf4 Rf3+ Ke4 Bc6+ Kd4 Rd3+
... Ke4 Bc6+ Kf4 Rf3+
It appears that it has to start with 1. Rf8 Qe5 (and I see how any other move drops the queen, yay knight forks!). I haven't found a second move yet, though, that proves the point.
*five minutes pass*
2. d4? *three minutes pass* it forces Qd6... does 3. Rf6 work then?
*one minute passes*
3. Rf6 would force Qd7... what now?
*two minutes pass*
4. Ne6+?
*one minute passes*
That looks right. If Kb7 then Rf7 Qxf7 Nd8+ wins the queen. If Kc6 or Kd6 then Nf8+. Kc8 or Kb8 then Rf8+ Kb7 and again Rf7. It took me 12 minutes, but did I get it? If so, I'm curious how much time the tactics trainer timer allowed for it, and what it's rated.
1. Ne5+ Nxe5 2. Ra4+ Kg5 (king cannot step on the f or h files, which is the driving force of the etude I think) 3. Nf3+ Nxf3 (Kg6 Nxe5+ and Nxd7) 4. Rg4+! Kxg4 5. gxf3+ Kg5 6. h4+ Kg6 7. f8N+
If this is indeed correct, it's a very very beautiful etude
Last edited by YouKnowWho; 05-28-2013 at 07:12 AM.
Reason: bolded the main line :)