Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #113"][Date "2010.04.16"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/1p3pp1/3k2p1/7P/pq3P2/3B3P/P1PN2P1/3K4 w - - 0 1"]
Material: Black is ahead by 2 points, having a Queen for a Bishop, Knight and pawn.
King position: there is a Queen on the board, so it is important for the White King to be safe and he is. Also it is the endgame, so both Kings need to be in the center and they are.
Position: White has 3 pawn islands compared with Black's only 2. White's pawns are more advanced on the King side, while Black has one advanced pawn on the Queen side; also Black has double pawns on the g-file.
Both White pieces are near their own King, providing protection. The Black Queen is near the center and has access to squares on all three sides of the board.
Your tasks:
a) Propose a plan for both sides based on the above analysis (10 points)
b) White to move and win - yes, it is no typo error! (15 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #114.
Puzzle #112 solution:
The position is a study by Grigorjev, 1937. Thanks for your answers! None of them covered the whole array of possibilities, so cannot choose any to present the solution. Here is the compact version of it, hoping you will also remember our discussions and analysis last night at the club. Answer:
Constructing the "L-shape" pawn formation of separated pawns is a must in order to save them and win. See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #112"][Date "2010.04.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/2p5/8/8/5P1k/p7/7P/2K5 w - - 0 1"]1.h3 c5 (1...Kxh3? 2.f5 {White wins}) 2.Kb1 (2.Kc2? c4 3.Kc3 Kh5 4.Kc2 Kh4 {Draw}) 2...c4 3.Ka2 c3 4.Kb3! (4.Kxa3? Kg3 5.f5 Kf4 6.f6 Ke3 7.Kb3 Kd3 8.f7 c2 {Draw}) 4...a2 {The only chance} 5.Kxa2 Kg3 6.f5 Kf4 7.f6 Ke3 8.f7 c2 9.f8=Q c1=Q 10.Qh6+ {White wins}
Correct solutions:
Edwin - 19 points
Jeffrey, Owen, Andy Y - 15 points
Karl - 12 points
Alex, Rick, James - 8 points
Humphrey - 5 points
Standings:
Owen - 249 points
Andy Y - 233 points
Karl - 232 points
Andy Q - 214 points
Edwin - 191 points
Humphrey - 180 points
Alex - 166 points
Jeffrey - 148 points
James - 136 points
Amir - 103 points
Nathaniel - 100 points
Rick - 18 points
Marko - 10 points
King position: there is a Queen on the board, so it is important for the White King to be safe and he is. Also it is the endgame, so both Kings need to be in the center and they are.
Position: White has 3 pawn islands compared with Black's only 2. White's pawns are more advanced on the King side, while Black has one advanced pawn on the Queen side; also Black has double pawns on the g-file.
Both White pieces are near their own King, providing protection. The Black Queen is near the center and has access to squares on all three sides of the board.
Your tasks:
a) Propose a plan for both sides based on the above analysis (10 points)
b) White to move and win - yes, it is no typo error! (15 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #114.
Puzzle #112 solution:
The position is a study by Grigorjev, 1937. Thanks for your answers! None of them covered the whole array of possibilities, so cannot choose any to present the solution. Here is the compact version of it, hoping you will also remember our discussions and analysis last night at the club. Answer:
Constructing the "L-shape" pawn formation of separated pawns is a must in order to save them and win. See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #112"][Date "2010.04.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/2p5/8/8/5P1k/p7/7P/2K5 w - - 0 1"]1.h3 c5 (1...Kxh3? 2.f5 {White wins}) 2.Kb1 (2.Kc2? c4 3.Kc3 Kh5 4.Kc2 Kh4 {Draw}) 2...c4 3.Ka2 c3 4.Kb3! (4.Kxa3? Kg3 5.f5 Kf4 6.f6 Ke3 7.Kb3 Kd3 8.f7 c2 {Draw}) 4...a2 {The only chance} 5.Kxa2 Kg3 6.f5 Kf4 7.f6 Ke3 8.f7 c2 9.f8=Q c1=Q 10.Qh6+ {White wins}
Correct solutions:
Edwin - 19 points
Jeffrey, Owen, Andy Y - 15 points
Karl - 12 points
Alex, Rick, James - 8 points
Humphrey - 5 points
Standings:
Owen - 249 points
Andy Y - 233 points
Karl - 232 points
Andy Q - 214 points
Edwin - 191 points
Humphrey - 180 points
Alex - 166 points
Jeffrey - 148 points
James - 136 points
Amir - 103 points
Nathaniel - 100 points
Rick - 18 points
Marko - 10 points
Nothing is what it seems to be