Level
3-Bishop
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #36"][Date "2008.09.11"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "2N4k/6pp/p7/4p3/Pp4Q1/1Pn1P1KP/1B4P1/4q3 w - - 0 37"]37.Kf3 {In the game} 37...Qe2+ {Alexandra decided to go for a perpetual since this qualified her for the final} 38.Kg3 Qe1+ 39.Kf3 Qe2+ 40.Kg3 Qe1
The top women players in the World have raised their level of play to incredible levels since the time of the legendary Vera Menchik. Following their games and ideas is very atractive, especially since they can hold their own against the best GM male players in the World.The Women's World Championship 2008 is tak
ing place from August 28th to September 18th in Nalchik (Russia). 64 players were eligible to play in the knock-out event. Four elimination rounds are in the history books and one semifinal has already reached a verdict:
Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS, 2510) has defeat ed Pia Cramling (SWE, 2544) 1.5-0.5
Their second semifinal game Cramling - Kosteniuk reached the shown position and she decided to go for a perpetual since this qualified her for the final. Questions:
a) Analyse the position and decide if this was a good choice (5 points)
b) Provide a different line if you think Black could have played better (5 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 10. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #37.
Puzzle #35 solution:
This puzzle requires 2 things: good chess intuition and precise calculation.
1. The good chess intuition focuses on the power of the 2 White Bishops as follows: first of all we should not give up the powerful "Bd4" for the defensive "Rg7" even if the Rook seems to be worth 2 extra points. The power of the Bishop (its control over the diagonal) is more important. Also a pair of Bishops becomes a formidable weapon when the position opens up, meaning pawns of opposite colours are eliminated.
2. Precise calculation will prove the intuition correct.
Here is the best answer I got this time around from John (it took him 15 minutes to solve it):
[Event "Puzzle #35"][Date "2008.09.05"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "2r2qk1/6r1/2Ppp1pQ/p1n2pP1/1p1B4/1P5P/P1P3B1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1"]1.Rxe6! Nxe6 (1...Rcc7 2.Bd5 Nxe6 3.Bxe6+ Rcf7 4.c7 Rh7 5.Qxf8+ Kxf8 6.c8=Q+ Ke7 7.Qd7+ Kf8 8.Qd8#) 2.Bd5 Re8 (2...Re7 3.Qxg6+ Qg7 4.Bxe6+ Kf8 5.Bxg7+ Rxg7 6.Qf6+ Ke8 7.Qxg7 Rc7 8.Qg8+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd8 10.Qf8#) 3.c7 Kf7 4.Bxg7 Qxg7 5.Bxe6+ Rxe6 6.Qxg7+ Kxg7 7.c8=Q {White wins}
Correct solutions:
John, Jeremy and Karl - 5 points
Joshua - 4 points
Wilson - 2 points
Nathaniel, Andy Q - 1 point
ing place from August 28th to September 18th in Nalchik (Russia). 64 players were eligible to play in the knock-out event. Four elimination rounds are in the history books and one semifinal has already reached a verdict:
Alexandra Kosteniuk (RUS, 2510) has defeat ed Pia Cramling (SWE, 2544) 1.5-0.5
Their second semifinal game Cramling - Kosteniuk reached the shown position and she decided to go for a perpetual since this qualified her for the final. Questions:
a) Analyse the position and decide if this was a good choice (5 points)
b) Provide a different line if you think Black could have played better (5 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 10. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #37.
Puzzle #35 solution:
This puzzle requires 2 things: good chess intuition and precise calculation.
1. The good chess intuition focuses on the power of the 2 White Bishops as follows: first of all we should not give up the powerful "Bd4" for the defensive "Rg7" even if the Rook seems to be worth 2 extra points. The power of the Bishop (its control over the diagonal) is more important. Also a pair of Bishops becomes a formidable weapon when the position opens up, meaning pawns of opposite colours are eliminated.
2. Precise calculation will prove the intuition correct.
Here is the best answer I got this time around from John (it took him 15 minutes to solve it):
[Event "Puzzle #35"][Date "2008.09.05"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "2r2qk1/6r1/2Ppp1pQ/p1n2pP1/1p1B4/1P5P/P1P3B1/4R1K1 w - - 0 1"]1.Rxe6! Nxe6 (1...Rcc7 2.Bd5 Nxe6 3.Bxe6+ Rcf7 4.c7 Rh7 5.Qxf8+ Kxf8 6.c8=Q+ Ke7 7.Qd7+ Kf8 8.Qd8#) 2.Bd5 Re8 (2...Re7 3.Qxg6+ Qg7 4.Bxe6+ Kf8 5.Bxg7+ Rxg7 6.Qf6+ Ke8 7.Qxg7 Rc7 8.Qg8+ Ke7 9.Qf7+ Kd8 10.Qf8#) 3.c7 Kf7 4.Bxg7 Qxg7 5.Bxe6+ Rxe6 6.Qxg7+ Kxg7 7.c8=Q {White wins}
Correct solutions:
John, Jeremy and Karl - 5 points
Joshua - 4 points
Wilson - 2 points
Nathaniel, Andy Q - 1 point
Trapped King