English opening
Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #378"][Date "2019.12.01"][Result "1-0"]1.c4 Nf6 2.Nc3 e6 3.Nf3 Be7 4.e4 d6 5.d4 Nc6 6.Be2 b6 7.O-O Bb7 8.d5 exd5 9.cxd5 Ne5 10.Nd4 O-O 11.Nf5 Bc8 12.f4 Ng6 13.Nd4 Bb7 14.Be3 a6 15.Rc1 Qd7 16.Kh1 Bc8 17.Nc6 Bd8 18.Bd4 Re8 19.e5 dxe5 20.fxe5 Nxd5
This week's game has reached the middle game and white has an overwhelming positional advantage. Your tasks:
a) Name the opening
b) Why does white has an overwhelming positional advantage?
c) It is time for white to use his positional advantage; white to move and win
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #379.
Puzzle #377 solution:
Game Moehring - Uhlmann, GDR 1982. This week's best answers are by the top scorers:
a) This opening is called the French Defense Advance Variation
b) I think Black stands better. Material Situation is equal. White's king is exposed, possibly not castled. An open rook attacks the pawn and the queen slices the position. The knight on e3 is very good and defended by the passed d4-pawn
c) Solution:
[Event "Puzzle #377"][Date "2019.11.17"][Result "0-1"]1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Be2 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nh6 8.Nc3 Nf5 9.Kf1 Bd7 10.Na4 Qd8 11.Bf4 Be7 12.g4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Nc5 Bc8 15.Qd2 f6 16.Kg2 O-O 17.Bg3 fxe5 18.dxe5 d4 19.Bxh4 Qxh4 20.Nd3 b6 21.f4 Bb7 22.Bf3 Na5 23.h3 Nc4 24.Qe2 Ne3+ 25.Kh2 Rac8 26.Rac1 Ba6 27.Be4 {Solution} 27...Bxd3 (27...Rxf4?? 28.Rxc8+ Bxc8 29.Nxf4 {White wins}) (27...Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rxf4? 29.Nxf4 Bxe2 30.Rc8+ Kf7 31.Rc7+ Ke8 32.Bc6+ Kf8 {Draw}) 28.Bxd3 (28.Qxd3 Qf2+ 29.Bg2 Qxg2#) 28...Nxg4+ 29.Qxg4 Qf2+ 30.Qg2 Qxf4+ 31.Qg3 Rxc1 {White resigned. A possible continuation} 32.Qxf4 Rxh1+ 33.Kxh1 Rxf4 {Black wins with ease}
Correct solutions:
Joey - 25 points
Matthew, Zhengyu - 18 points
Eric - 16 points
Lucas, Aiden - 11 points
Walter, Glyn, Zach - 10 points
Harry - 6 points
Steven - 1 points
Standings:
Matthew - 105 points
Zhengyu - 103 points
Eric - 101 points
Joey - 97 points
Aiden - 89 points
Harry - 83 points
Walter - 76 points
Lucas - 54 points
Glyn - 49 points
Zach - 47 points
Lyvia - 11 points
Steven - 6 points
a) Name the opening
b) Why does white has an overwhelming positional advantage?
c) It is time for white to use his positional advantage; white to move and win
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #379.
Puzzle #377 solution:
Game Moehring - Uhlmann, GDR 1982. This week's best answers are by the top scorers:
a) This opening is called the French Defense Advance Variation
b) I think Black stands better. Material Situation is equal. White's king is exposed, possibly not castled. An open rook attacks the pawn and the queen slices the position. The knight on e3 is very good and defended by the passed d4-pawn
c) Solution:
[Event "Puzzle #377"][Date "2019.11.17"][Result "0-1"]1.e4 e6 2.d4 d5 3.e5 c5 4.c3 Nc6 5.Nf3 Qb6 6.Be2 cxd4 7.cxd4 Nh6 8.Nc3 Nf5 9.Kf1 Bd7 10.Na4 Qd8 11.Bf4 Be7 12.g4 Nh4 13.Nxh4 Bxh4 14.Nc5 Bc8 15.Qd2 f6 16.Kg2 O-O 17.Bg3 fxe5 18.dxe5 d4 19.Bxh4 Qxh4 20.Nd3 b6 21.f4 Bb7 22.Bf3 Na5 23.h3 Nc4 24.Qe2 Ne3+ 25.Kh2 Rac8 26.Rac1 Ba6 27.Be4 {Solution} 27...Bxd3 (27...Rxf4?? 28.Rxc8+ Bxc8 29.Nxf4 {White wins}) (27...Rxc1 28.Rxc1 Rxf4? 29.Nxf4 Bxe2 30.Rc8+ Kf7 31.Rc7+ Ke8 32.Bc6+ Kf8 {Draw}) 28.Bxd3 (28.Qxd3 Qf2+ 29.Bg2 Qxg2#) 28...Nxg4+ 29.Qxg4 Qf2+ 30.Qg2 Qxf4+ 31.Qg3 Rxc1 {White resigned. A possible continuation} 32.Qxf4 Rxh1+ 33.Kxh1 Rxf4 {Black wins with ease}
Correct solutions:
Joey - 25 points
Matthew, Zhengyu - 18 points
Eric - 16 points
Lucas, Aiden - 11 points
Walter, Glyn, Zach - 10 points
Harry - 6 points
Steven - 1 points
Standings:
Matthew - 105 points
Zhengyu - 103 points
Eric - 101 points
Joey - 97 points
Aiden - 89 points
Harry - 83 points
Walter - 76 points
Lucas - 54 points
Glyn - 49 points
Zach - 47 points
Lyvia - 11 points
Steven - 6 points