Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #218"][Date "2013.02.26"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3r1bk1/3P1p2/p3q1pp/2p4n/P1p2P2/2P3B1/BP1Q1P1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 1"]
There are a lot of ways to win a game and all follow the same blueprint: analyse the position, identify the pluses and minuses on both sides, decide who stands better, plan and move. This position is no different and your tasks are:
a) Decide what gives White the advantage
b) Based on the advantage you found, select the best line you can think of so White wins
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #219.
Puzzle #217 solution:
GM D. Svetushkin - GM V. Yandemirov, Moscow Open A 2013. I got good answers from most of you; what was lacking was the correct finish of the combination. Here is Leo's response:
a) Analyse the position and decided who stands better:
- Material: equal
- King safety: Kh1 position is much better as it isn't facing any attack or threat. Kh7 is trapped with only one possible g8-square to move it also is under attack.
- Position:
1. Both pawn chains form a board-wide blockade.
2. Overall, White is attacking while Black is mainly concentrate on defence as it has no piece passing the 7th rank. Black has much less room than White, especially Kh7 which has only one square to escape when facing White's Q and R battery attack.
3. White has two potential checkmate squares: Qg7 (Queen and Rook battery or Queen and Bishop combination) and Qg8 (Queen and Rook combination).
From the above analysis, White stands better.
b) Solution: as Black has 5 pieces defending, white has to bring more pieces to join the battle, so white must move its Na4
[Event "Puzzle #217"][Date "2013.02.11"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5n1n/2q2rbk/3p3p/2pPp2P/NpP1PpQ1/1P1N1P2/1B6/6RK w - - 0 1"]1.Naxc5 dxc5 2.Nxe5 Re7 (2...Rf6 3.Nd3 Qd7 4.Bxf6 Qxg4 5.Rxg4 Bxf6 6.e5 {White is winning}) 3.d6 Qb7 {The Queen cannot leave the defence of the 7th rank or white checkmates} 4.dxe7 Qxe7 5.Nc6 Qg5 6.Qf5+ {White wins}
Correct solutions:
Leo - 17 points
James - 15 points
Richard, Daniel - 13 points
Justin, Derrick - 10 points
Standings:
Daniel - 68 points
James, Derrick - 60 points
Richard - 58 points
Leo - 52 points
Justin - 43 points
Aditya - 11 points>
a) Decide what gives White the advantage
b) Based on the advantage you found, select the best line you can think of so White wins
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #219.
Puzzle #217 solution:
GM D. Svetushkin - GM V. Yandemirov, Moscow Open A 2013. I got good answers from most of you; what was lacking was the correct finish of the combination. Here is Leo's response:
a) Analyse the position and decided who stands better:
- Material: equal
- King safety: Kh1 position is much better as it isn't facing any attack or threat. Kh7 is trapped with only one possible g8-square to move it also is under attack.
- Position:
1. Both pawn chains form a board-wide blockade.
2. Overall, White is attacking while Black is mainly concentrate on defence as it has no piece passing the 7th rank. Black has much less room than White, especially Kh7 which has only one square to escape when facing White's Q and R battery attack.
3. White has two potential checkmate squares: Qg7 (Queen and Rook battery or Queen and Bishop combination) and Qg8 (Queen and Rook combination).
From the above analysis, White stands better.
b) Solution: as Black has 5 pieces defending, white has to bring more pieces to join the battle, so white must move its Na4
[Event "Puzzle #217"][Date "2013.02.11"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5n1n/2q2rbk/3p3p/2pPp2P/NpP1PpQ1/1P1N1P2/1B6/6RK w - - 0 1"]1.Naxc5 dxc5 2.Nxe5 Re7 (2...Rf6 3.Nd3 Qd7 4.Bxf6 Qxg4 5.Rxg4 Bxf6 6.e5 {White is winning}) 3.d6 Qb7 {The Queen cannot leave the defence of the 7th rank or white checkmates} 4.dxe7 Qxe7 5.Nc6 Qg5 6.Qf5+ {White wins}
Correct solutions:
Leo - 17 points
James - 15 points
Richard, Daniel - 13 points
Justin, Derrick - 10 points
Standings:
Daniel - 68 points
James, Derrick - 60 points
Richard - 58 points
Leo - 52 points
Justin - 43 points
Aditya - 11 points>
The art of exchanges (1)