Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #47"][Date "2008.11.28"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "b4r2/p1R2p2/1p2p1pk/3pP1N1/PR3P2/1P5P/1r4P1/6K1 b - - 0 26"]26...d4 {Game line} 27.Nxf7+ Kh5 28.Ng5 Rxg2+ 29.Kf1 Rxf4+ 30.Ke1 Kxg5 31.Rxa7 Rff2 32.Rxd4 Bf3 {Black won at move 56}
Round 9 at the 2008 WYCC Vietnam should have been tough on Jonah. He was facing a player from Belarus: board 6 KALINOUSKI, Siarhei (BLR) - LEE, Jonah (CAN)
and did not play very inspired. He won an important center pawn in the opening, just to give it back in the middlegame because of superficial play. Then White began to improve his position and attack Jonah's King. The position we are looking at is after Jonah's move 26 (see diagram above). Questions:
a) Analyse the position for White and Black, plus identify the pluses and minuses for both sides (5 points)
b) See what White played in the real game. Which moves are bad? Propose better ones instead (5 points)
c) How would you have played better for White? Please write your lines (10 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #48.
Puzzle #46 solution:
Lots of interesting responses from all of you. Some analyzed deeper than others, but this was not necessarily a good thing. You have to remember and always consider the best moves for both sides. One example of a simplistic plan is to look into forking Black's Queen; this cannot happen if Black plays good moves, so any analysis with Black dropping his Queen is not good. The best answer came from Joshua! He covered the most of possible ideas, moves and tricks. Please read his answer and compare it with yours!
a) and b) White's Positives: 1. Ahead by a pawn. 2. All of White's pawns are on the dark squares and Black's Bishop is not able to attack them. 3. White's Bishop is on a light square and White's pawns are on dark squares. This is good because White's pawns do not get in the way of his Bishop. 4. Black's Bishop is on a light square and cannot attack White's pawns on dark squares. 5. White's Bishop on a light square can attack Black's pawns on light squares (5 pawns).
White's Negatives: 1. Knight on c3 not in play because all the Black pawns stop the Knight from moving to good squares, i.e., d5, e4, a4, b5. Knight can only move backwards to b1, a2, d1, e2. 2. Bishop cannot move to a lot of squares safely, i.e., d5, c6, and e4.
Black's Positives: None.
Black's Negatives: 1. King is not safe. White's pieces can break through Black's pawn shield easily, e.g., e4, f5xe4, Bxe4+ 2. Rook is stuck on d7 because if it moves away, White can RxB. If Black's Rook takes White's Rook, the c5xR and White has a passed pawn. 3. Queen is stuck because if she moves away, then White takes Black's Rook on d7. BxR, QxB, and then White is ahead by a Bishop. 4. Knight is stuck. It has to stay on e7 to protect c6. 5. Bishop is stuck. It has to stay on e6 to protect Black Rook. 6. Black is down a pawn.
c) See solution:
[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 39.e4! fxe4 (39...Nc8 40.Rxd7+ Bxd7 41.Qxg5 Qg6 42.Qh4 Kg7 43.e5 Qe6 44.f4 {White is completely winning}) (39...Rxd6 40.cxd6 Qd8 41.dxe7 Qxd2 42.e8=Q Qe1+ 43.Bf1 Bc4 44.Qxh5+ Kg7 45.Ne2 {White is winning}) 40.Nxe4 Rxd6 41.Qxd6 Nf5 42.Nxg5+ Kg6 43.Qxe6+ Qxe6 44.Nxe6 {White is winning}
Correct solutions:
Joshua - 19 points
Jeremy - 18 points
Andy Q - 17 points
Jacky, John - 15 points
Joanne - 12 points
Mark, Wilson - 11 points
Karl, James, Nathaniel - 10 points
Standings:
Joshua - 103 points
Andy Q - 98 points
Jeremy - 95 points
John - 94 points
Joanne - 80 points
Mark - 75 points
Jacky - 61 points
Karl - 60 points
Nathaniel - 54 points
Wilson - 51 points
James - 37 points
Katerina - 33 points
Darren - 23 point
and did not play very inspired. He won an important center pawn in the opening, just to give it back in the middlegame because of superficial play. Then White began to improve his position and attack Jonah's King. The position we are looking at is after Jonah's move 26 (see diagram above). Questions:
a) Analyse the position for White and Black, plus identify the pluses and minuses for both sides (5 points)
b) See what White played in the real game. Which moves are bad? Propose better ones instead (5 points)
c) How would you have played better for White? Please write your lines (10 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #48.
Puzzle #46 solution:
Lots of interesting responses from all of you. Some analyzed deeper than others, but this was not necessarily a good thing. You have to remember and always consider the best moves for both sides. One example of a simplistic plan is to look into forking Black's Queen; this cannot happen if Black plays good moves, so any analysis with Black dropping his Queen is not good. The best answer came from Joshua! He covered the most of possible ideas, moves and tricks. Please read his answer and compare it with yours!
a) and b) White's Positives: 1. Ahead by a pawn. 2. All of White's pawns are on the dark squares and Black's Bishop is not able to attack them. 3. White's Bishop is on a light square and White's pawns are on dark squares. This is good because White's pawns do not get in the way of his Bishop. 4. Black's Bishop is on a light square and cannot attack White's pawns on dark squares. 5. White's Bishop on a light square can attack Black's pawns on light squares (5 pawns).
White's Negatives: 1. Knight on c3 not in play because all the Black pawns stop the Knight from moving to good squares, i.e., d5, e4, a4, b5. Knight can only move backwards to b1, a2, d1, e2. 2. Bishop cannot move to a lot of squares safely, i.e., d5, c6, and e4.
Black's Positives: None.
Black's Negatives: 1. King is not safe. White's pieces can break through Black's pawn shield easily, e.g., e4, f5xe4, Bxe4+ 2. Rook is stuck on d7 because if it moves away, White can RxB. If Black's Rook takes White's Rook, the c5xR and White has a passed pawn. 3. Queen is stuck because if she moves away, then White takes Black's Rook on d7. BxR, QxB, and then White is ahead by a Bishop. 4. Knight is stuck. It has to stay on e7 to protect c6. 5. Bishop is stuck. It has to stay on e6 to protect Black Rook. 6. Black is down a pawn.
c) See solution:
[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 39.e4! fxe4 (39...Nc8 40.Rxd7+ Bxd7 41.Qxg5 Qg6 42.Qh4 Kg7 43.e5 Qe6 44.f4 {White is completely winning}) (39...Rxd6 40.cxd6 Qd8 41.dxe7 Qxd2 42.e8=Q Qe1+ 43.Bf1 Bc4 44.Qxh5+ Kg7 45.Ne2 {White is winning}) 40.Nxe4 Rxd6 41.Qxd6 Nf5 42.Nxg5+ Kg6 43.Qxe6+ Qxe6 44.Nxe6 {White is winning}
Correct solutions:
Joshua - 19 points
Jeremy - 18 points
Andy Q - 17 points
Jacky, John - 15 points
Joanne - 12 points
Mark, Wilson - 11 points
Karl, James, Nathaniel - 10 points
Standings:
Joshua - 103 points
Andy Q - 98 points
Jeremy - 95 points
John - 94 points
Joanne - 80 points
Mark - 75 points
Jacky - 61 points
Karl - 60 points
Nathaniel - 54 points
Wilson - 51 points
James - 37 points
Katerina - 33 points
Darren - 23 point
2008 WYCC Vietnam challenge