Anyway, Friday puzzle, can I carry some luck from yesterday?

Uh, no. I came up with the weird sequence of 36...Nf2+ 37.Qxf2 Rd1 38.Qxb6 Rxe1+ 39.Qg1 Rxg1+ 40.Kxg1 Bxg2 41.Kxg2, and at the end of it, white's up a knight.

White threatens 37.Rxb7 (37.Rxd1 Rxd1+ 38.Qxd1 Qxc7).

The bishop pin suggests 36... Ne3:

A) 37.Rxe3 Qxc7

A.1) 38.Qxc7 Rd1+ 39.Re1 Rxe1#.

A.2) 38.Rc3 Qxc3 wins.

A.3) 38.Qb1 Rdxf4 - + [R+P vs N] looks crushing. For example, 39.Re1 Qxe5 40.Rxe5 Rf1+ 41.Qxf1 Rxf1#.

A.4) 38.Qe2 Rdxf4 is similar to A.3.

B) 37.Rxb7 Nxc2 38.Rxb6 axb6 39.Rc1 Nxa3 - + [R+P vs B] and a won ending (40.Rc8+ Rf8 41.Rc6 Rd1+ 42.Bf1 Rxf1+, etc.).

C) 37.Rc8+ Bxc8 38.Qxc8+ (38.Rxe3 Bb7 - + [R vs N] with the threat Rdxf4) 38... Rf8 [R vs B], followed by Nxg2 and Rdxf4 with a won game.

My attempt was 36...Bxg2+ which fizzles out to level after 37. Kxg2 Rfxf4 = (0.00 @ 22 depth, Deep Fritz 15). Falling for 36...Bxg2+? =, and not even considering 36...Rdxf4! , reminds me of a V-8 vitamin/vegtable drink television commercial I saw a few years ago.

In the TV commercial, as I recall, a guy eats something like a candy bar and then slaps himself on the forehead when reminded of the obvious -- that he could have had a nutritious and satisfying vegetable vitamin drink (i.e. a V-8) instead of eating junk food.

After loading up the game on the computer with Deep Fritz 15 and seeing the complete combination 36...Rdxf4! 37. Rxb7 (37. Rxd1 Rf1+ 38. Rxf1 Rxf1#) 37... Nf2+ 38. Kg1 Nh3+ 39. Kh1 Rf1+ 1-0, where White resigns in lieu of 40. Rxf1 Rxf1+ 41. Bxf1 Qg1#, it became clearly obvious 33...Rxd4! was the strongest winning move.

Just as it takes more time and effort to find and consume nutritious food and avoid junk food, it takes more time and effort to consider and find deeper winning moves like 36...Rdxf4! and avoid simpler drawing moves like 36...Bxg2+ =.

My move is 36...Rdxf4! opens the path for the queen and white can't defend against Rf1+ and Nf2+ properly.

A. 37.Rxb7 Nf2+ 38.Kg1 (Qxf2 Qxf2 wins) Nh1+ 39.Kh1 Rf1+ 40.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 41.Bxf1 Qg1#

B. 37.Bxb7 Rf1+ 38.Rxf1 Rxf1+ 39.Kg2 Qg1+ 40.Kh3 Nf2+ 41.Kh4 (Qxf2 Qxf2 wins) Qxh2+ 42.Kg5 Qh5#

<36 ... Rd2>

This threatens smothered mate and Bxg7#, so white has no time for Rxb7 or Rc8+ any such ideas, white must take the rook.

<37 Qxd2 Nf2+>

Now that Rd4 has vacated d4 we can start playing some checks along the a7-g1 diagonal.

<38 Kg1 ...>

Now for the tricky bit

<38 ... Nh6+>

39 Kf1 Ba6+
40 Rc4 Rxf4+ (Nc4 Rxf4+ )
41 Nf3 Qg1+

<39 Kh1 Qxc7>
<40 Bxg7 Qxb7+>
<41 Qg2 Qxg2>
<42 Kxg2 Nxf4+>

Whoopee we have won a pawn!

click for larger view

Now the only question... ...what have I missed!?!?

~~~

A cleaner way to win if 36...Rdxd4 37 Bxb7 Rxf1+ 38 Rxf1 Rxf1+ 39 Kg2 is 39...Ne3+.

click for larger view

Variation A: White takes the bait:
37. Qxf2 Rxf4
A1) 38. Qe2 Bxg2+ 39. Kxg2 Rf2+ wins the queen
A2) 38. Bxb7 Rxf2 also wins the queen
A3) 38. Rxb7 Qxb7 39. Bxb7 Rxf2 leaves black with R vs B ending. A4) 38. Qxf4 Rxf4, obviously.
A5) 38. Qf3 Bxf3
A6) 38. other Q moves Rf1+ 39. Rxf1 Rxf1#

Variation B: White tries to refuse:
37. Kg1 Rd2

B1) 38. Qxd2 Ne4+ wins the queen.
B2) 38. Qc5 Bxg2 39. Qxb6 axb6 40. Kxg2 Ne3+ gives black a R vs N B3) 38. most other moves Nh3+ 39. Kh1 (Kf1 Qf2#) Qg1+ 40. Rxg1 Nf2#