Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #46"][Date "2008.11.21"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "3q4/3rn2k/p1pRb3/1pP2ppp/1P6/P1N1P1P1/3Q1PBP/6K1 b - - 0 38"]38...Qe8
In game number 8 from WYCC 2008 Jonah managed to reach a clear won endgame after a series of massive exchanges, so we are not going to spend time on it. The position we are going to look at this time is from the same game:
LEE, Jonah (CAN) - AKHUNDOV SHAMSHAD, Rahman Oglu (AZE). See Black's last move 38... Qe8. We are in the middlegame for now and we have to:
a) Analyse the position for White and Black, plus identify the pluses and minuses for both sides (4 points)
b) Propose the best plan for White (with explanations) you can come up with (10 points)
c) Write the best line to show how the plan at point "b" would work (6 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #47.
Puzzle #45 solution:
It is a very hard position for players of any age. The only chance to solve it is to think about it logically. Tonight at the club we looked at the concept of "pawn breakthrough" which applies to groups of pawns facing each other. Jonah's position has such pawns on the Queen side, so he should have looked for a chance to breakthrough and create a winning passed pawn there. Mark and Joshua found the winning idea and provided correct answers, while Andy Q found the idea but chose a weaker move sequence. See solution for the correct answer for "b" first.
Going back to question "a" White needs to stop the "pawn breakthrough" to hold the draw. Mark and Joshua proposed 42.a4! (also see solution).
[Event "Puzzle #45"][Date "2008.11.14"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/8/2p5/pp1p2k1/3P1pP1/1PP4K/P7/8 b - - 0 39"]39...f3 (39...b4!! {The winning move} 40.cxb4 (40.c4 dxc4 41.bxc4 a4 42.d5 cxd5 43.cxd5 (43.c5 b3 44.axb3 axb3 45.c6 b2 46.c7 b1=Q 47.c8=Q Qh1# {Excellent mate}) 43...Kf6!! {Black stops both White pawns from "d5" and "g4", while "a4" and "b4" will give Black a new Queen and a win. This is the best try for White as Black needs to find this winning move}) 40...axb4 {White is in zugzwang and loses}) 40.Kg3 f2 41.Kxf2 Kxg4 42.Ke3 (42.a4! {Now the breakthrough "b5-b4" is not possible anymore as White would get a passed pawn}) 42...Kg3 43.Kd3 Kf3 44.a3 a4 45.bxa4?? bxa4 {Now white is totally lost} 46.c4 ({This is no salvation either} 46.Kd2 Kf2 47.Kd3 Ke1 48.Ke3 Kd1 49.Kd3 Kc1 {Black wins}) 46...Kf2 47.cxd5 cxd5 48.Kd2 Kf3 49.Kd3 Kf4 50.Kc2 Ke3 51.Kc3 Ke4 52.Kb4 Kxd4 53.Kxa4 Kc4 54.Ka5 d4 {Black checkmated white at move 63}
Correct solutions:
Mark, Joshua - 15 points
Andy Q - 10 points
James - 7 points
Darren, Jacky, Joanne, John, Jeremy - 5 points
Wilson - 1 point
Standings:
Joshua - 84 points
Andy Q - 81 points
John - 79 points
Jeremy - 77 points
Joanne - 68 points
Mark - 64 points
Karl - 50 points
Jacky - 46 points
Nathaniel - 44 points
Wilson - 40 points
Katerina - 33 points
James - 27 points
Darren - 23 point
LEE, Jonah (CAN) - AKHUNDOV SHAMSHAD, Rahman Oglu (AZE). See Black's last move 38... Qe8. We are in the middlegame for now and we have to:
a) Analyse the position for White and Black, plus identify the pluses and minuses for both sides (4 points)
b) Propose the best plan for White (with explanations) you can come up with (10 points)
c) Write the best line to show how the plan at point "b" would work (6 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #47.
Puzzle #45 solution:
It is a very hard position for players of any age. The only chance to solve it is to think about it logically. Tonight at the club we looked at the concept of "pawn breakthrough" which applies to groups of pawns facing each other. Jonah's position has such pawns on the Queen side, so he should have looked for a chance to breakthrough and create a winning passed pawn there. Mark and Joshua found the winning idea and provided correct answers, while Andy Q found the idea but chose a weaker move sequence. See solution for the correct answer for "b" first.
Going back to question "a" White needs to stop the "pawn breakthrough" to hold the draw. Mark and Joshua proposed 42.a4! (also see solution).
[Event "Puzzle #45"][Date "2008.11.14"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/8/2p5/pp1p2k1/3P1pP1/1PP4K/P7/8 b - - 0 39"]39...f3 (39...b4!! {The winning move} 40.cxb4 (40.c4 dxc4 41.bxc4 a4 42.d5 cxd5 43.cxd5 (43.c5 b3 44.axb3 axb3 45.c6 b2 46.c7 b1=Q 47.c8=Q Qh1# {Excellent mate}) 43...Kf6!! {Black stops both White pawns from "d5" and "g4", while "a4" and "b4" will give Black a new Queen and a win. This is the best try for White as Black needs to find this winning move}) 40...axb4 {White is in zugzwang and loses}) 40.Kg3 f2 41.Kxf2 Kxg4 42.Ke3 (42.a4! {Now the breakthrough "b5-b4" is not possible anymore as White would get a passed pawn}) 42...Kg3 43.Kd3 Kf3 44.a3 a4 45.bxa4?? bxa4 {Now white is totally lost} 46.c4 ({This is no salvation either} 46.Kd2 Kf2 47.Kd3 Ke1 48.Ke3 Kd1 49.Kd3 Kc1 {Black wins}) 46...Kf2 47.cxd5 cxd5 48.Kd2 Kf3 49.Kd3 Kf4 50.Kc2 Ke3 51.Kc3 Ke4 52.Kb4 Kxd4 53.Kxa4 Kc4 54.Ka5 d4 {Black checkmated white at move 63}
Correct solutions:
Mark, Joshua - 15 points
Andy Q - 10 points
James - 7 points
Darren, Jacky, Joanne, John, Jeremy - 5 points
Wilson - 1 point
Standings:
Joshua - 84 points
Andy Q - 81 points
John - 79 points
Jeremy - 77 points
Joanne - 68 points
Mark - 64 points
Karl - 50 points
Jacky - 46 points
Nathaniel - 44 points
Wilson - 40 points
Katerina - 33 points
James - 27 points
Darren - 23 point
2008 WYCC Vietnam challenge