Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #03"][Date "2008.01.24"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/5p2/pk4p1/P5P1/1K5P/8/8/8 b - - 0 1"]
This week's puzzle comes from a game played by 2 top Canadian juniors from Quebec: Nikita Kraiouchkine - Myriam Roy, Montreal, Aug 2007. In the real game Nikita won the endgame with ease. Could Black save it though? The answer is yes and you need to find out how!
Black to move and draw
The answer will be published next week together with puzzle #4.
Puzzle #02 solution:
If we observe the trapped position of Kg8, this indicates the solution must be tactical. White needs to open lines and diagonals for attacking it. One way to do it seems extreme, but turns out to do the trick. See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #02"][Date "2008.01.17"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r2q2kr/p1p2p1p/1p3p1B/2b1n3/2ppN1b1/2P2N2/PP3PPP/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 1"]1.Nxe5! Bxd1 {Now what? Without a Queen, with Bh6 holding Kg8 caged and Ra1-Re1 unable to attack, White has all his hopes pinned on the pair of Knights; their target is "f6" from where any one of them could mate} 2.Nd7!! Be7 (2...Qxd7 3.Nxf6#) 3.Nexf6+ {Only move} 3...Bxf6 4.Re8+ {Finally one of the Rooks becomes useful} 4...Qxe8 5.Nxf6#
Correct solutions:
Matthew, Jakab, Jacob, Nicholas, Frank, David, Jeremy and Karl - 1.0 point each
Mark - 0.5 point
Standings:
1.5 Matthew, Jakab, Jeremy, Karl and Nicholas
1.0 Bryant, Jacob, Frank and David
0.5 Algerd, Alejandro, Joanne, Vera, Mark, West and Katerina
Black to move and draw
The answer will be published next week together with puzzle #4.
Puzzle #02 solution:
If we observe the trapped position of Kg8, this indicates the solution must be tactical. White needs to open lines and diagonals for attacking it. One way to do it seems extreme, but turns out to do the trick. See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #02"][Date "2008.01.17"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r2q2kr/p1p2p1p/1p3p1B/2b1n3/2ppN1b1/2P2N2/PP3PPP/R2QR1K1 w - - 0 1"]1.Nxe5! Bxd1 {Now what? Without a Queen, with Bh6 holding Kg8 caged and Ra1-Re1 unable to attack, White has all his hopes pinned on the pair of Knights; their target is "f6" from where any one of them could mate} 2.Nd7!! Be7 (2...Qxd7 3.Nxf6#) 3.Nexf6+ {Only move} 3...Bxf6 4.Re8+ {Finally one of the Rooks becomes useful} 4...Qxe8 5.Nxf6#
Correct solutions:
Matthew, Jakab, Jacob, Nicholas, Frank, David, Jeremy and Karl - 1.0 point each
Mark - 0.5 point
Standings:
1.5 Matthew, Jakab, Jeremy, Karl and Nicholas
1.0 Bryant, Jacob, Frank and David
0.5 Algerd, Alejandro, Joanne, Vera, Mark, West and Katerina
Opposition