Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #223"][Date "2013.04.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r1b2rk1/p1qnnppp/1p2p3/2p5/8/3B1NN1/PPP1QPPP/R2R2K1 w - - 0 1"]1.Bxh7+ Kxh7
Most of the times in life an opportunity presents itself without being ideal (all conditions being met); however there are other practical conditions available to help you accept the opportunity and use it in your favour. The same happens in this famous position: White is being presented with the opportunity to sacrifice his Bishop on h7. Your tasks:
a) Verify how many conditions are met for the sacrifice to work
b) See what other conditions we have on the board to replace the missing ones
c) Find the best line for both sides you can think of, starting with the moves 1.Bxh7+ Kxh7
Total available points for this puzzle is 50. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #224.
Puzzle #222 solution:
Pillsbury – Max Judd, St Louis 1899. In general I got good answers from most of the solvers; what we need is a bit more work on the combination lines! The answers are:
a) Conditions:
#1 Yes: pawns in front of the King side castle are not moved
#2 Yes: the h7-pawn is defended only by the King and cannot be defended by any other piece in a move
#3 Yes: there is an advanced pawn on e5
#4 Yes: the g5-square is not defended
#5 Yes: a Rook can come into attack very fast; example: Rc1-c3-h3
#6 No: the combo Queen + Knight supported by the other Bishop can attack the castle position directly
b) Winning lines:
[Event "Puzzle #222"][Date "2013.03.31"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rn1q1rk1/1bp1nppp/pp2p3/4P3/3P4/2NB1N2/PP3PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 1"]1.Bxh7+ Kxh7 2.Ng5+ Kg8 (2...Kg6 3.Qg4 f5 4.exf6 Kxf6 5.Rfe1 g6 6.Qh4 Rh8 7.Qf4+ Kg7 8.Nxe6+) (2...Kh6 3.Qd2 Kg6 4.Ne2 Nd5 5.Qd3+ Kxg5 6.Qh7 Nf4 7.Qxg7+ Ng6 8.f4+ Kf5 9.Ng3+ Kg4 10.h3+ Kxg3 11.Rc3+ Bf3 12.Rcxf3+ Kh4 13.Qh6#) 3.Qh5 Re8 4.Qxf7+ Kh8 5.Qh5+ Kg8 6.Nd5 exd5 7.Qf7+ Kh8 8.Rc3 Bc8 9.e6 Bxe6 10.Nxe6 Nf5 11.Rh3+
Correct solutions:
Leo, James - 38 points
Daniel - 30 points
Justin - 25 points
Aditya - 5 points
Standings:
Daniel - 147 points
James - 142 points
Leo - 104 points
Justin - 96 points
Derrick, Richard - 89 points
Aditya - 29 points
Jerry - 13 points
Alex - 7 points
a) Verify how many conditions are met for the sacrifice to work
b) See what other conditions we have on the board to replace the missing ones
c) Find the best line for both sides you can think of, starting with the moves 1.Bxh7+ Kxh7
Total available points for this puzzle is 50. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #224.
Puzzle #222 solution:
Pillsbury – Max Judd, St Louis 1899. In general I got good answers from most of the solvers; what we need is a bit more work on the combination lines! The answers are:
a) Conditions:
#1 Yes: pawns in front of the King side castle are not moved
#2 Yes: the h7-pawn is defended only by the King and cannot be defended by any other piece in a move
#3 Yes: there is an advanced pawn on e5
#4 Yes: the g5-square is not defended
#5 Yes: a Rook can come into attack very fast; example: Rc1-c3-h3
#6 No: the combo Queen + Knight supported by the other Bishop can attack the castle position directly
b) Winning lines:
[Event "Puzzle #222"][Date "2013.03.31"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rn1q1rk1/1bp1nppp/pp2p3/4P3/3P4/2NB1N2/PP3PPP/2RQ1RK1 w - - 0 1"]1.Bxh7+ Kxh7 2.Ng5+ Kg8 (2...Kg6 3.Qg4 f5 4.exf6 Kxf6 5.Rfe1 g6 6.Qh4 Rh8 7.Qf4+ Kg7 8.Nxe6+) (2...Kh6 3.Qd2 Kg6 4.Ne2 Nd5 5.Qd3+ Kxg5 6.Qh7 Nf4 7.Qxg7+ Ng6 8.f4+ Kf5 9.Ng3+ Kg4 10.h3+ Kxg3 11.Rc3+ Bf3 12.Rcxf3+ Kh4 13.Qh6#) 3.Qh5 Re8 4.Qxf7+ Kh8 5.Qh5+ Kg8 6.Nd5 exd5 7.Qf7+ Kh8 8.Rc3 Bc8 9.e6 Bxe6 10.Nxe6 Nf5 11.Rh3+
Correct solutions:
Leo, James - 38 points
Daniel - 30 points
Justin - 25 points
Aditya - 5 points
Standings:
Daniel - 147 points
James - 142 points
Leo - 104 points
Justin - 96 points
Derrick, Richard - 89 points
Aditya - 29 points
Jerry - 13 points
Alex - 7 points
The h7-square hot spot (2)