I recently played this game against a good friend on here.  I was rated 2023 at the time, and my opponent, 1753.  I was doing well with the black pieces until I blundered a pawn and then let him more or less mop the floor with me positionally.

And then I came up with a swindle.

Before this, ... Bd8-e7!? was played, and my opponent took the bait and followed up with Qf7-Qxe7?.  Can you prove that his capture is a bad move?  (Bonus points if you can tell me the one move he could have played to win after Bd8-e7).

Annotations are included in the solution.

Unfortunately, in the actual game, my opponent blundered again and let me catch him in a mating net.  I'm not complaining, though.  =)

Well, the only move I see that might help is 3. Qg7+ (the move needs to block check), which leads to 3 ... Rxg7 4. Kxg7.  But know black is up Queen to Bishop (assuming 4 ... Kxg7).  I suppose you could also move 3. Ng7, but assuming the rook takes, you end up in the same spot.

very nice swindle. I believe the move he could have played would be Nf4 to prevent the Q coming to e2 and also to prevent the rook sac?

I don't think he could ever get the knight to f4 because of the checks on the king.

Nice thinking, but yeah, I'll gladly take either of the lines you mentioned in a heartbeat.  It's pretty hard to lose when you've got a queen for a piece in a position that has completely calmed down.  =)

Yeah!  Before this position starts, Nf4! has to be played after ... Be7 instead of Qxe7? - and really, it's a nice little prophylactic move.  To be honest, I didn't even see the move until I looked at the game in Rybka after it was over, so nice job finding it.

Just for visual reference, we're talking about this position - the one right before the puzzle starts:

really you didn't? It's quite obvious! Unfortunately I didn't find the swindle though, that was very creative thinking! What were the time rules?

3 days per move per side.  It was a game played on here.

Also, I just realized that because Rybka displays stuff weird in 'perpetual' lines, there's also a second good move that can be played instead of Nf4! - and it's simply Re1!  Either, or, really! =)

I also think it's very cool that Nf4 will work, but not, for example, Nd4.

ah it was played on here. Did you use the analyze board? it doesn't matter though, it is still something I would not have figured out.

nice save!

Looks like 1. Rg7 would have done the trick for him.

Then 1. ... Rxg7 2. Qxg7#.

Or any other move by black would be followed by 2. Rh7#.

That wouldn't work...

1. Rg7?? Qf8+!

2. Rg1 Qxg1#

Sweet, got it on my 1st try

Were you thinking Ng5?

It threatens Qh7# and thwarts the swindle.