Answers.Body: <p>If White goes for 1. Rxc6??, Black has 1...Rxe1#</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T02:01:30.150Z
Answers.Text: Thank you Allure! Have to pay attention to the whole board.
Answers.UserDisplayName: sunsetsamurai
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-25T13:20:11.767Z
Answers.Text: Paying attention to the whole board is great.  More important is king safety. I suggest do a safety check for each move.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Michael West
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T01:06:09.760Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-09-24T01:06:09.760Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Allure
Answers.Body: <p>Based of your question it appears that you have correctly assessed and identified the critical piece holding blacks position together. The Bishop on c6.</p>
  <p><strong>Rxc6 - Removing the Defender.</strong></p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;4r1k1/1p3ppp/2b5/5n2/pp6/8/P4PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1&quot;]
  
  1. Rxc6 Rxe1#
  </code></pre>
  <p>Results in a completely lost position which allows black to mate in one.</p>
  <p><strong>Rxe8 - &quot;Correct&quot; Variation.</strong></p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;4r1k1/1p3ppp/2b5/5n2/pp6/8/P4PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1&quot;]
  
  1. Rxe8 Bxe8 Rb1 b5 Rxb4
  </code></pre>
  <p>Doesn't significantly change much. Black has a promotion threat on the a/b file. The rook is unable to defend because any attempts to dislodge the bishop will result in either loss of material or promotion. In addition to this the knight has the ability to apply pressure on whites rook.</p>
  <p>Engine Evaluations would indicator that white is down approximately 5 pawns (or a rook) of material from the starting position.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T10:55:14.957Z
Answers.Text: I don't understand. Why would you go down the 2. Rb1  route instead of 1. Rxe8 Bxe8 2. Rc8 Kf8 3. Rb8 and start picking off the pawns? What am I missing?
Answers.UserDisplayName: terdon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T11:25:48.463Z
Answers.Text: @terdon 3. Rb8 b5 . There's no pawns that you can pick off from there and the Rook is awkwardly placed. The a4/b4 pawns can easily push through while the bishop protects b5.
Answers.UserDisplayName: David258
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T11:33:54.480Z
Answers.Text: @terdon "2. Rc8 Kf8" - a better move for black in this eventuality would be Nd6, at which point both the bishop and b7 pawn are protected and white's rook is threatened.
Answers.UserDisplayName: DaveMongoose
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T12:04:22.573Z
Answers.Text: Sigh. I copied the board to play with it and completely forgot to copy the knight, @DaveMongoose. Nd6 works perfectly indeed.
Answers.UserDisplayName: terdon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T12:06:35.240Z
Answers.Text: @David258 3. Rb8 b5  wouldn't work since the bishop went to e8 at 1 ... Bxe8 which is forced. So from b8, the rook can take the unprotected b7 pawn and then also threatens the a and b pawns. But Dave's point about the knight nicely destroys my original thought.
Answers.UserDisplayName: terdon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T13:19:54.413Z
Answers.Text: @DaveMongoose 2. Rc8 Nd6 is a terrible move which loses a piece after 3. Rd8
Answers.UserDisplayName: Durmus
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T13:20:28.607Z
Answers.Text: @terdon 3. Rb8 (b7->)b5 moves the b7 pawn into the protected space though?
Answers.UserDisplayName: David258
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T13:23:00.800Z
Answers.Text: @David258 the pawn at b7 can't go to b5 since there is already a pawn there. Or so I think, anyway. I am not a strong player so please take anything I say with a grain of salt, I am very likely to be wrong!
Answers.UserDisplayName: terdon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T13:29:40.140Z
Answers.Text: @terdon - black has pawns at a4+b4+b7 in the starting position; b5 is empty?
Answers.UserDisplayName: David258
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T13:32:12.840Z
Answers.Text: @David258 and that confirms my previous comment: take everything I say about chess with a grain of salt, I'm most likely wrong! When copying the board, I not only forgot the knight as I mentioned previously, I also got placed the pawns on a5 and b5 instead of a4 and b4. Sorry for wasting everyone's time!
Answers.UserDisplayName: terdon
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T13:52:54.763Z
Answers.Text: @DaveMongoose 1. Rxe8 Bxe8 2. Rc8 Nd6 is bad for black. Followed by 3. Rd8 and the loss of the knight, which is 'stuck' protecting the bishop and can't be protected.
Answers.UserDisplayName: David258
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T03:50:22.867Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2021-09-24T03:50:22.867Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Dheebs
Body: <p>In the attached position, why can't white mate?
  Is it not possible to go Rxc6 and depending on blacks response go Rxc6.</p>
  <pre><code>[FEN &quot;4r1k1/1p3ppp/2b5/5n2/pp6/8/P4PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1&quot;]
  </code></pre>
  <p>Source: Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (1966) - Bobby Fischer &amp; Stuart Margulies</p>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T00:18:27.863Z
Comments.Text: What is Black's best move after 1. Rxc6?
Comments.UserDisplayName: Cleveland
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T02:02:45.427Z
Comments.Text: Thank you Cleveland! I have to train to take the opponents view.
Comments.UserDisplayName: sunsetsamurai
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T08:26:53.290Z
Comments.Text: You wrote Rxc6 twice, you probably meant something else.
Comments.UserDisplayName: Carsten S
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-09-24T08:31:41.647Z
Comments.Text: Even if Black couldn't respond to Rxc6 with ...Rxe1+, Black would still not be forced to take the rook, so checkmate is not forced either.
Comments.UserDisplayName: David
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 4.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2021-09-26T20:15:04.293Z
Comments.Text: "response go Rxc6" is probably a typo for "response to Rxc6".
Comments.UserDisplayName: Michael Hardy
Tags: <checkmate><fischer>
Title: Why can white not mate in this position?
ThreadText: # Why can white not mate in this position?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2021-09-24)
  
  In the attached position, why can't white mate?
  Is it not possible to go Rxc6 and depending on blacks response go Rxc6.
  
  ```
  [FEN "4r1k1/1p3ppp/2b5/5n2/pp6/8/P4PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1"]
  
  ```
  
  Source: Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (1966) - Bobby Fischer & Stuart Margulies
  
  **Tags:** checkmate, fischer
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: What is Black's best move after 1. Rxc6?  
  > **username_0**: Thank you username_1! I have to train to take the opponents view.  
  > **username_2**: You wrote Rxc6 twice, you probably meant something else.  
  > **username_3**: Even if Black couldn't respond to Rxc6 with ...Rxe1+, Black would still not be forced to take the rook, so checkmate is not forced either.  
  > **username_4**: "response go Rxc6" is probably a typo for "response to Rxc6".  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_5 on 2021-09-24. Score: 17
  
  If White goes for 1. Rxc6??, Black has 1...Rxe1#
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Thank you username_5! Have to pay attention to the whole board.  
  > **username_6**: Paying attention to the whole board is great.  More important is king safety. I suggest do a safety check for each move.  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_7 on 2021-09-24. Score: 7
  
  Based of your question it appears that you have correctly assessed and identified the critical piece holding blacks position together. The Bishop on c6.
  
  **Rxc6 - Removing the Defender.**
  
  ```
  [FEN "4r1k1/1p3ppp/2b5/5n2/pp6/8/P4PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1"]
  
  1. Rxc6 Rxe1#
  
  ```
  
  Results in a completely lost position which allows black to mate in one.
  
  **Rxe8 - "Correct" Variation.**
  
  ```
  [FEN "4r1k1/1p3ppp/2b5/5n2/pp6/8/P4PPP/2R1R1K1 w - - 0 1"]
  
  1. Rxe8 Bxe8 Rb1 b5 Rxb4
  
  ```
  
  Doesn't significantly change much. Black has a promotion threat on the a/b file. The rook is unable to defend because any attempts to dislodge the bishop will result in either loss of material or promotion. In addition to this the knight has the ability to apply pressure on whites rook.
  
  Engine Evaluations would indicator that white is down approximately 5 pawns (or a rook) of material from the starting position.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_8**: I don't understand. Why would you go down the 2. Rb1  route instead of 1. Rxe8 Bxe8 2. Rc8 Kf8 3. Rb8 and start picking off the pawns? What am I missing?  
  > **username_9**: @username_8 3. Rb8 b5 . There's no pawns that you can pick off from there and the Rook is awkwardly placed. The a4/b4 pawns can easily push through while the bishop protects b5.  
  > **username_10**: @username_8 "2. Rc8 Kf8" - a better move for black in this eventuality would be Nd6, at which point both the bishop and b7 pawn are protected and white's rook is threatened.  
  > **username_8**: Sigh. I copied the board to play with it and completely forgot to copy the knight, @username_10. Nd6 works perfectly indeed.  
  > **username_8**: @username_9 3. Rb8 b5  wouldn't work since the bishop went to e8 at 1 ... Bxe8 which is forced. So from b8, the rook can take the unprotected b7 pawn and then also threatens the a and b pawns. But Dave's point about the knight nicely destroys my original thought.  
  > **username_11**: @username_10 2. Rc8 Nd6 is a terrible move which loses a piece after 3. Rd8  
  > **username_9**: @username_8 3. Rb8 (b7->)b5 moves the b7 pawn into the protected space though?  
  > **username_8**: @username_9 the pawn at b7 can't go to b5 since there is already a pawn there. Or so I think, anyway. I am not a strong player so please take anything I say with a grain of salt, I am very likely to be wrong!  
  > **username_9**: @username_8 - black has pawns at a4+b4+b7 in the starting position; b5 is empty?  
  > **username_8**: @username_9 and that confirms my previous comment: take everything I say about chess with a grain of salt, I'm most likely wrong! When copying the board, I not only forgot the knight as I mentioned previously, I also got placed the pawns on a5 and b5 instead of a4 and b4. Sorry for wasting everyone's time!  
  > **username_9**: @username_10 1. Rxe8 Bxe8 2. Rc8 Nd6 is bad for black. Followed by 3. Rd8 and the loss of the knight, which is 'stuck' protecting the bishop and can't be protected.  
  
  ---
  
  