Four Knights
Level
2-Knight
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #344"][Date "2018.04.15"][Result "1-0"]1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4.Ba4 Nf6 5. Nc3 Bc5 6. Nxe5 Nxe5 7. d4 Bb4 8. dxe5 Nxe4 9. Qd4 Nxc3 10. bxc3 Ba5 11. Ba3 b6
This game has been played some 95 years ago in a simultaneous. The player with the white pieces faced no less than 35 opponents in the same time, scoring +31=2-2. Your tasks:
a) Replay the opening moves and decide if the opening is Ruy Lopez or Four Knights; explain your decision
b) Should white castle or start attacking at the next move? Explain your answer
c) White to move and win
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #345.
Puzzle #343 solution:
Opening theory 1984. This week's best answers are by the top scorers:
a) Four Knights opening
b) White moved his Knight too many time instead of developing other pieces. Although white won 2 pawns, his two rooks, one bishop and queen are all blocked. No major or minor piece can help to protect the king
[Event "Puzzle #343"][Date "2018.04.08"][Result "0-1"]1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Ba4 Bc5 6. Nxe5 O-O 7. Nd3 Bb6 8. Nf4 d5 9. Nfxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Qh4 11. O-O Bg4 12. Qe1 {The solution is} Nf3+ 13. gxf3 Bxf3 14. Ne3 (14. Bd7 Qg5+ 15. Bg4 Qxg4#) (14. h3 Qg3#) 14... Qg5+ 15. Ng2 Qxg2#
Correct solutions:
Walter, Eric, Joey, Coby, Matthew - 15 points
Lyvia - 14 points
Aiden - 13 points
Glyn, Zhengyu - 11 points
Mengbai, Brian - 8 points
Lucas - 7 points
Blake - 6 points
Jacey, Itamar - 3 points
Chris - 1 point
Standings:
Coby, Matthew - 30 points
Lyvia, Joey, Eric - 29 points
Aiden, Walter - 24 points
Zhengyu - 22 points
Blake, Glyn - 20 points
Mengbai - 17 points
Lucas - 16 points
Jacey, Brian - 8 points
Steven - 5 points
Itamar - 3 points
Chris - 2 points
a) Replay the opening moves and decide if the opening is Ruy Lopez or Four Knights; explain your decision
b) Should white castle or start attacking at the next move? Explain your answer
c) White to move and win
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next time together with puzzle #345.
Puzzle #343 solution:
Opening theory 1984. This week's best answers are by the top scorers:
a) Four Knights opening
b) White moved his Knight too many time instead of developing other pieces. Although white won 2 pawns, his two rooks, one bishop and queen are all blocked. No major or minor piece can help to protect the king
[Event "Puzzle #343"][Date "2018.04.08"][Result "0-1"]1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Bb5 Nd4 5. Ba4 Bc5 6. Nxe5 O-O 7. Nd3 Bb6 8. Nf4 d5 9. Nfxd5 Nxd5 10. Nxd5 Qh4 11. O-O Bg4 12. Qe1 {The solution is} Nf3+ 13. gxf3 Bxf3 14. Ne3 (14. Bd7 Qg5+ 15. Bg4 Qxg4#) (14. h3 Qg3#) 14... Qg5+ 15. Ng2 Qxg2#
Correct solutions:
Walter, Eric, Joey, Coby, Matthew - 15 points
Lyvia - 14 points
Aiden - 13 points
Glyn, Zhengyu - 11 points
Mengbai, Brian - 8 points
Lucas - 7 points
Blake - 6 points
Jacey, Itamar - 3 points
Chris - 1 point
Standings:
Coby, Matthew - 30 points
Lyvia, Joey, Eric - 29 points
Aiden, Walter - 24 points
Zhengyu - 22 points
Blake, Glyn - 20 points
Mengbai - 17 points
Lucas - 16 points
Jacey, Brian - 8 points
Steven - 5 points
Itamar - 3 points
Chris - 2 points