I Recently rediscovered this mate in three by Eugene B. Cook.
I knew (or felt I knew, my memory is playing OAP tricks on me these days) I had
used this before in an old blog. I did, in 2014, so I’ll jump straight to the solution.
FEN
6k1/6b1/6KR/5R2/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "6k1/6b1/6KR/5R2/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Rf6 {Putting the other Rook en prise makes this problem just perfect for this site.} 1... Bxf6 {1...Bh8 2.Rxh8+ and 3.Rf8 mate. or 1....Bf8 2.Rh8+ and 3.Rxf8 mate.} 2. Kxf6 {It did not matter which Rook the Bishop took the mating pattern is just the same.} 2... Kf8 {Only move. if Black had played 1...Bxh6 then 2.Kxh6 Kh8 3. Rf8 mate.} 3. Rh8 {Checkmate.}
Staying with the article from 2014 (it was part of a Christmas Quiz ) I then looked
for two Rooks v a lone Bishop and the lone Bishop actually winning and I found this.
ehenes - KDale RHP 2011
FEN
8/1p6/p6p/5rpk/1P1B4/P5KP/r5P1/8 w - - 0 39
[FEN "8/1p6/p6p/5rpk/1P1B4/P5KP/r5P1/8 w - - 0 39"] 39. Kh2 {We join the game where Black is about to lose one of his Rooks.} 39... Rxa3 {Thank you for unpinning the g2 pawn.} 40. g4+ Kg6 41. gxf5+ Kxf5 42. Bc5 Rb3 43. Bf8 Kg6 44. Kg2 b5 45. Kh2 Kh5 46. Bc5 Kh4 47. Bf8 Rxh3+ 48. Kg2 h5 49. Bg7 {Black now finds the only move that allows White to deliver mate on the next move.} 49... g4 50. Bf6 {Checkmate.}
So now I’m wondering, are there any other two Rook v a lone Bishop games.
Ooops - historybites RHP 2018
The chosen nickname by White in this game could not be more apt.
White to play. Black is threatening 1...Bf3+ and mate next move.
White stopped Bf3+ with 1.Rf1 and was checkmated with 1...g2.
White should have played (amongst many other moves that win)
1.Rxg3+ Kxg3 2.Rg5...
...and Rxg4 on the next move.
Whilst doing a spot of re-hashing old stuff (please forgive, but it would wrong
to leave this one out of this weeks theme.) it too is from another old blog .
Bobbyt65 - Stewie rules RHP 2006
I’ve often wondered, ‘Stewie rules’ did he know the rules about en passant.
FEN
2r5/R5pp/3Bpp1k/1p2PP1P/r2p2P1/3K4/8/8 w - - 0 35
[FEN "2r5/R5pp/3Bpp1k/1p2PP1P/r2p2P1/3K4/8/8 w - - 0 35"] 35. exf6 {Please take the Rook.} 35... Rxa7 {If Black has not played this then this game would never have seen the light of day.} 36. Bf4+ g5 {Probably unequalled anywhere, White has the choice of which way to take En Passant Mate.} 37. hxg6 {He follows the maxim about always capturing towards the centre.}
No more rehashing, though that last one is good. These next two are fresh.
banjojohn81 - Rad Dad RHP 2018
FEN
3k2r1/p1pp1p1p/1p3P2/3PP3/5P1p/5r2/7K/5B2 w - - 0 35
[FEN "3k2r1/p1pp1p1p/1p3P2/3PP3/5P1p/5r2/7K/5B2 w - - 0 35"] 35. Bg2 Rf2 {We are going to see a change of theme...} 36. Kh3 Rgxg2 {...it's now no Bishop v two Rooks. It’s pawns v two Rooks,} 37. e6 Rg1 {This makes the win slightly more difficult but it's still there.} 38. exf7 {There is a way of stopping that f7 pawn. I’ll use a snapshot of this game to show how.} 38... Rh1+ 39. Kg4 Rg1+ 40. Kf5 {Who says tripled pawns are weak. White is threatening mate in one.} 40... Re1 41. f8=Q+ Re8 42. Qh6 Rd2 43. f7 Rxd5+ 44. Kg4 Ke7 45. fxe8=Q+ Kxe8 {Due to the number of Black pawns the White win is slightly problematic...} 46. Qxh7 Rd1 47. Kf5 c5 {...but now it is easy.} 48. Qh5+ Kd8 49. Qxd1 {White went onto win.}
How Black could have stopped that f7 pawn..
FEN
3k4/p1pp1p1p/1p2PP2/3P4/5P1p/7K/5r2/6r1 w - - 0 38
[FEN "3k4/p1pp1p1p/1p2PP2/3P4/5P1p/7K/5r2/6r1 w - - 0 38"] 38. exf7 {Black played Rh1+ A golden rule when heavily up in material. Give some if it back.} 38... Rg3+ {This was the way to catch the f7 pawn.} 39. Kxh4 Rxf4+ 40. Kxg3 Rxf6 {And Black will (hopefully) win that one.}
Staying on the subject of two Rooks v a lone Bishop. This one is from this year.
lstcyr - Titotot RHP 2022
FEN
8/1kp5/p6R/P1PR4/1P6/1K6/2r5/1b6 w - - 0 57
[FEN "8/1kp5/p6R/P1PR4/1P6/1K6/2r5/1b6 w - - 0 57"] 57. c6+ Rxc6 58. Rxc6 Be4 {White should now play Rcc5 with an easy. But they have an idea.} 59. Rxa6 {Ideas with an opponents check in the mix are to be looked at carefully.} 59... Bxd5+ {White expected Kxa6 but this a CHECK! and then it's Kxa6 White resigned.}
And finally we leave with a Lone Bishop fighting a Knight and a Rook.
BigD00 - RMG101 RHP 2011
FEN
1b6/1P6/8/3N4/5p2/5kp1/7R/7K w - - 0 70
[FEN "1b6/1P6/8/3N4/5p2/5kp1/7R/7K w - - 0 70"] 70. Rg2 Kg4 {White can now play Nxf4 Kxf4 and Rg1 the White King will get to g2 and it's 1-0.} 71. Nb6 {Now it's a draw. The Black pawns will cost White the Rook.} 71... f3 72. Rd2 g2+ {White must take on g2.} 73. Kg1 {OOPS! Black plays Kh3 and Bh2+ is coming and suddenly it’s 0-1.} 73... Kg3 {Wrong! the King here stops Bh2+} 74. Nd7 {It's very tricky but Nc8 had to be played here to stop...} 74... Ba7+ 75. Rf2 {Only move.} 75... Bxf2 {Checkmate.}
