Puzzle of the week #313

Submitted by eugen on Mon, 03/20/2017 - 17:08
Queen's position
Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #313"][Date "2017.03.20"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r4rk1/p4pq1/1p1pp2R/2p5/2Pnp3/1P5Q/P5PP/2B2RK1 w - - 0 1"]
White has sacrificed 2 pawns to open up black's castle position; meantime Qg7 is holding the fort while waiting for the other black pieces to come to the rescue. It is white to move. Your tasks:
a) write a plan of attack
b) find the winning combination based on the plan you just wrote down

Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #314.

Puzzle #312 solution:
Position by Lisitzin. Best answer by Bradley:
a) I think that white is up because:
-material is even
-The black king is under threat of checkmate (Qh6 Qg7#), but black can counter because as soon as the queen moves, Qc5 Qf8 will defend against it.
- it is near the endgame, as most of the pieces are developed and not many pieces are left
-both white rooks are useful(protecting the pawn and threatening the rook) while only one black rook is useful.
-the white knight protects the rook while the black one does not do much
White is up because he has better placed pieces and more space

b)
[Event "Puzzle #312"][Date "2017.03.07"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r2r2k1/1pq2p1p/p4Pp1/8/1n6/1PN1Q3/1P4PP/3R1RK1 w - - 0 1"]1. Qh6 (1. Na4 Kh8 2. Qh6 Rg8 3. Rf3 {Coco} (3. Rd4 {Cody} 3... g5 4. Rxb4 b5 5. Nc3 Qc5+) 3... g5 4. Rh3 Qc2) (1. Rd4 {Jalen: this leads to the same solution}) 1... Qc5+ (1... Qb6+?? {Benjamin, Uros, Deyk, Yakov} 2. Kh1) 2. Rd4 Qf8 (2... Qxd4+ 3. Rf2 Qxf6 4. Rxf6 {Bradley}) 3. Qxf8+ Kxf8 4. Rxb4 {Bradley, Jalen}

Correct solutions:
Bradley - 18 points
Jalen - 16 points
Coco, Cody - 10 points
Benjamin, Uros, Deryk, Yakov - 5 points
Dheera - 2 points

Standings:
Jalen - 125 points
Bradley - 110 points
Coco - 111 points
Cody - 104 points
Benjamin - 74 points
Deryk - 63 points
Uros - 48 points
Dheera - 29 points
Yakov - 16 points