Showed up in my feed on another site.

I’m assuming it’s expecting Qxb5, Nxc7+ with a royal fork. But what’s stopping c6 or Nc6 instead, keeping the black Queen in a position to protect c7?

  • @[email protected]English
    19•3 months ago

    That’s a sacrifice to create a triple fork. Queen takes bishop, knight takes c7 pawn, forking the king, queen and rook.

    It’s forced, since the queen is pinned initially. Also leaves the knight on that cosy b5 square when you’re finished.

    edit: Coming back to this one, I think you’re right actually. Though white does have Qf5 in response, inviting the queen trade. This opens a few different lines, two of which do look good for white if black declines, kinda approaching a potential mate if black queen returns to d8, which seems strongest to me. I can’t find the finish though. If black trades, white is still in a decent position, since the knight fork is open then, and the center file opens up a little.

    Neat puzzle.

  • @[email protected]
    9•3 months ago

    c6, Qc3

    1.) xb5, Nc7+ and get their rook (unless they decide to take their queen for your knight)

    2.) xd4, get their queen (so yeah 1. will happen)

    If they to for Nc6 you also can respond with Qc3 and win the knight (or the queen), unless they do Bb7, then you don’t win anything but are in a very good position (very aggressive and they can’t move anything away without losing material)

    • @[email protected]
      4•3 months ago

      Bb7 looks good after Qc3. Still feels like there’s something here to me but it’s not simple imo.

    • Karyoplasma
      -1•3 months ago
      1. You’re basically trading a knight and a bishop for a rook in this case, plus black gets an active center. Dunno if that is a very good trade.

      I cannot find a reason why Bb6 would be brilliant. Just grabbing the center with d4 or castling seems like the better option.

  • mozz
    4•3 months ago

    ITT: Wrong

    Unless I’ve missed something big you are correct; it wins the pawn which is nice, but it’s hardly earth shattering as long as black doesn’t have a brain fart and take the bishop. According to a quick look with Stockfish:

    1. Bxb5 c6
    2. Ba4 Qb7
    3. c3 Nd7 and black has escaped serious consequences
    1. … c6
    2. Qc3 xB
    3. Nc7+ Kd8
    4. NxR Qb7
    5. O-O Nc6 is bad for white, black has two pieces for a rook and change, and most of white’s development has evaporated
    1. … Nc6 is worse for black though
    2. d4 Rb8
    3. Ba4 Ba6
    4. c3 Bb5
    5. BxB RxB
    6. O-O and the attack is over, but black had to scramble to defend and wound up down a pawn with a messed up position

    You can try yourself; go to lichess and click the little live-analysis toggle on the left side up above the move list. Stockfish isn’t perfect but it’s better than any of us here.

    • Karyoplasma
      3•3 months ago

      Yeah, Stockfish doesn’t consider it a brilliant move at all. Evaluation swings from +2.6 to +1.6.

      Instead of Bb5, SF recommends grabbing the center with d4 or castling.

      • ZagorathOPEnglish
        1•3 months ago

        Yeah, Stockfish doesn’t consider it a brilliant move at all

        Interesting. So was the screenshot that showed up in my feed faked, then?

  • @[email protected]English
    4•3 months ago

    probably because it’s a sacrifice and if they take the bait it’s a triple fork. even if they don’t take the bait it leaves you in a better position. don’t know about the brilliant algorithm of chess.com but it’s probably a move above the player’s level.

  • janAkaliEnglish
    1•3 months ago

    I’m usually bad at chess, please point out if I’m wrong:

    c6 -> Ba4: bishop is safe, pin stands

    queen can’t take because:
    c6 -> Ba4 -> Qxa4: Rook and pawn for a Bishop

    Nc6: Knight is pinned

    Nc6 -> c4 -> a6 -> Ba4 and then push pawns? That’s something I’d have done.

    But realistically, I think pin, potential for blunder and applying pressure could be enough for a brilliant move, depending on rating.