Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #214"][Date "2013.01.01"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "k2r1b1r/5p1p/p4p2/2q5/Q2p4/2p1BP2/P5PP/1R2R1K1 b - - 0 22"]22...Qc8 (22...dxe3)
The first puzzle of 2013 is dedicated to the art of attacking. Attacking is not only important, but also mandatory when possible. Nobody can win a game without attacking; when you do that, you put your opponent in trouble and force it to respond. There is a lot of pressure going for both sides in this position. Time is a factor as both sides are running down to the last few minutes on the clock. White's last move 22.Qa4 ... is offering a poisoned Bishop in exchange for mate, so Black decides to defend with 22... Qc8. Your tasks:
a) Show the mate if Black would have played 22... dxe3
b) Analyse the position for both sides to decide who has the advantage
c) After 22... Qc8 continue the attack for White with the best line you can think of
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #215.
Puzzle #213 solution:
GM I Nepomniachtchi - GM B Esen, 11th Aeroflot Open A, Feb 2012, Moscow, Russia. The last puzzle for 2012 did not catch your attention as it should. I got only 3 so-so answers and it is too bad. Here are the correct answers I was looking for:
a) Queen's gambit declined, Cambridge-Springs variation
b) Material: Black is up a pawn
Castling: both Kings are castled and well defended against possible attacks.
The center is semi-open and both sides have a share of it. White's Bishop's pair cannot do very much in this case.
Black has an overwhelming advantage on the Queen side: 2 passed pawns (one already on the 6th rank) and more pieces available to join the action there.
The only aspect in White's favour is the fact Qf4 is kind of surrounded by enemies and blocked by own pieces. It is not trapped, but not far from it either. Considering Black's advantage mentioned above, White chooses to salvage a draw by 3 fold repetition:
[Event "Puzzle #213"][Date "2012.12.17"][Result "1/2-1/2"]1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qd2 Bb4 9.Rc1 h6 10.Bh4 O-O 11.a3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxa3 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.e4 Ng6 15.Bg3 e5 16.O-O Re8 17.h4 exd4 18.cxd4 Nf6 19.e5 Nd5 20.h5 Nf8 21.Nh2 Qb4 22.Qd1 a5 23.Ng4 a4 24.Bh4 Bxg4 25.Qxg4 Qd2 26.Rcd1 Qf4 27.Qh3 a3 {Solution} 28.Bg3 Qg5 29.Bh4 Qf4 (29...Nf4 {The only chance for black to play for a win} 30.Qh2 Qxh5 31.Qxf4 g5 32.Qf5 Qxh4 33.Bc4 Re7 34.f4 {Needs to be explored}) 30.Bg3 Qg5 31.Bh4 {Three fold repetition}
Correct solutions:
Daniel - 10 points
James, Derrick - 5 points
FINAL STANDINGS:
James - 138 points
Daniel - 115 points
Derrick - 101 points
Danny - 82 points
Justin - 76 points
Leo - 55 points
Aditya - 18 points
Ziyao - 15 points
Richard - 10 points
Raymond - 5 points
a) Show the mate if Black would have played 22... dxe3
b) Analyse the position for both sides to decide who has the advantage
c) After 22... Qc8 continue the attack for White with the best line you can think of
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #215.
Puzzle #213 solution:
GM I Nepomniachtchi - GM B Esen, 11th Aeroflot Open A, Feb 2012, Moscow, Russia. The last puzzle for 2012 did not catch your attention as it should. I got only 3 so-so answers and it is too bad. Here are the correct answers I was looking for:
a) Queen's gambit declined, Cambridge-Springs variation
b) Material: Black is up a pawn
Castling: both Kings are castled and well defended against possible attacks.
The center is semi-open and both sides have a share of it. White's Bishop's pair cannot do very much in this case.
Black has an overwhelming advantage on the Queen side: 2 passed pawns (one already on the 6th rank) and more pieces available to join the action there.
The only aspect in White's favour is the fact Qf4 is kind of surrounded by enemies and blocked by own pieces. It is not trapped, but not far from it either. Considering Black's advantage mentioned above, White chooses to salvage a draw by 3 fold repetition:
[Event "Puzzle #213"][Date "2012.12.17"][Result "1/2-1/2"]1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 e6 5.Bg5 Nbd7 6.e3 Qa5 7.cxd5 Nxd5 8.Qd2 Bb4 9.Rc1 h6 10.Bh4 O-O 11.a3 Bxc3 12.bxc3 Qxa3 13.Bd3 Ne7 14.e4 Ng6 15.Bg3 e5 16.O-O Re8 17.h4 exd4 18.cxd4 Nf6 19.e5 Nd5 20.h5 Nf8 21.Nh2 Qb4 22.Qd1 a5 23.Ng4 a4 24.Bh4 Bxg4 25.Qxg4 Qd2 26.Rcd1 Qf4 27.Qh3 a3 {Solution} 28.Bg3 Qg5 29.Bh4 Qf4 (29...Nf4 {The only chance for black to play for a win} 30.Qh2 Qxh5 31.Qxf4 g5 32.Qf5 Qxh4 33.Bc4 Re7 34.f4 {Needs to be explored}) 30.Bg3 Qg5 31.Bh4 {Three fold repetition}
Correct solutions:
Daniel - 10 points
James, Derrick - 5 points
FINAL STANDINGS:
James - 138 points
Daniel - 115 points
Derrick - 101 points
Danny - 82 points
Justin - 76 points
Leo - 55 points
Aditya - 18 points
Ziyao - 15 points
Richard - 10 points
Raymond - 5 points
The art of attack (2)