Level
3-Bishop
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #167"][Date "2011.08.30"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3K4/7p/3k4/P7/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
After 2 fantastic hockey games at home Vancouver leads Boston 2-0 in the Stanley Cup final. The winner of 4 games will win the Cup. Did you see how close each game was? The margin to separate the win from defeat is razor sharp and only those strong enough are capable to swing it in their favour. This reminds me very much of the play required in the endgame: one single move on the wrong square can decide the game on the spot. Look at this position and based on what you know so far do the following:
a) Your first reaction: what should be the result of this game? Explain the answer
b) White to move and draw; show how!
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #168.
Puzzle #166 solution:
Ilyin Zhenevsky - Botvinnik, Leningrad 1938. Surprisingly only 3 solvers found the small but decisive error in White's play, error giving White a draw instead of a win. Harmony's answer should be simple to understand, so please read it and replay the winning lines! Harmony:
We don’t think this is the best line for White. Actually this is a won game for White!! After the exchange of Queens, the key fight will focus on the pawns. Black actually has all its pieces blocked except for the King. Using the lesson you taught us in the class, white should wait for a tempo to easily win the game.
It looks like having one free pawn that can move around is quite important in the end game!! Otherwise, even both sides have equal number of pawns, one side could still win.
[Event "Puzzle #166"][Date "2011.08.30"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/4k1p1/4p2p/4PP1P/6Q1/3q4/6PK/8 b - - 0 1"]1...Qxf5 2.Qxf5 exf5 3.Kg3 Kf7 4.Kf3!! ({Game line} 4.Kf4 g6 5.hxg6+ Kxg6 6.g3 h5 7.e6 Kf6 8.e7 Kxe7 9.Kxf5 h4 10.gxh4 Kf7 {Draw}) 4...g6 (4...Ke6 5.Kf4 Kf7 6.Kxf5 {White wins}) 5.hxg6+ Kxg6 6.Kf4 h5 7.g3 {White wins}
Correct solutions:
Harmony, Ziyao, Philip, - 20 points
Leo, Alex, James - 10 points
Daniel - 12 points
Leroy, Frank, Derrick - 2 points
Standings:
Ziyao - 379 points
Harmony - 375 points
Philip - 332 points
James - 331 points
Alex - 270 points
Leo - 255 points
Derrick - 212 points
Leroy - 189 points
Daniel - 187 points
Jeffrey - 168 points
Frank - 136 points
Kevin - 92 points
Eric - 29 points
Danny - 19 points
Karl - 13 points
a) Your first reaction: what should be the result of this game? Explain the answer
b) White to move and draw; show how!
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #168.
Puzzle #166 solution:
Ilyin Zhenevsky - Botvinnik, Leningrad 1938. Surprisingly only 3 solvers found the small but decisive error in White's play, error giving White a draw instead of a win. Harmony's answer should be simple to understand, so please read it and replay the winning lines! Harmony:
We don’t think this is the best line for White. Actually this is a won game for White!! After the exchange of Queens, the key fight will focus on the pawns. Black actually has all its pieces blocked except for the King. Using the lesson you taught us in the class, white should wait for a tempo to easily win the game.
It looks like having one free pawn that can move around is quite important in the end game!! Otherwise, even both sides have equal number of pawns, one side could still win.
[Event "Puzzle #166"][Date "2011.08.30"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/4k1p1/4p2p/4PP1P/6Q1/3q4/6PK/8 b - - 0 1"]1...Qxf5 2.Qxf5 exf5 3.Kg3 Kf7 4.Kf3!! ({Game line} 4.Kf4 g6 5.hxg6+ Kxg6 6.g3 h5 7.e6 Kf6 8.e7 Kxe7 9.Kxf5 h4 10.gxh4 Kf7 {Draw}) 4...g6 (4...Ke6 5.Kf4 Kf7 6.Kxf5 {White wins}) 5.hxg6+ Kxg6 6.Kf4 h5 7.g3 {White wins}
Correct solutions:
Harmony, Ziyao, Philip, - 20 points
Leo, Alex, James - 10 points
Daniel - 12 points
Leroy, Frank, Derrick - 2 points
Standings:
Ziyao - 379 points
Harmony - 375 points
Philip - 332 points
James - 331 points
Alex - 270 points
Leo - 255 points
Derrick - 212 points
Leroy - 189 points
Daniel - 187 points
Jeffrey - 168 points
Frank - 136 points
Kevin - 92 points
Eric - 29 points
Danny - 19 points
Karl - 13 points
Rule of the square (2)