Level
3-Bishop
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #56"][Date "2009.01.29"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/8/p5r1/1p1R4/1P6/8/5K1p/7k w - - 0 1"]
The following introduction is inspired from Wikipedia: Phillip Stamma (c. 1705 - 1755) was one of England's strongest players at the time, a true pioneer of modern chess. His reputation rests largely on his authorship of the early chess book "The Noble Game Of Chess (published 1737 in France; English translation 1745)". This book brought the Middle Eastern concept of the endgame to the attention of Europe and helped revive European interest in the study of the endgame. Above position is a very good example of how deep was his understanding of the endgame. It is a mirror position of a composition by him. Your tasks:
a) White to move and mate in 7 (5 points)
b) What strategy is White using to win this endgame? (10 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 15 points. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #57.
Puzzle #55 solution:
Best answers of the week:
Andy Yee:
a) Black has a potent attack and must strike while the iron is hot. He starts with 1... Nc4, which carries the potent threat of Rxb2+. There are no nice ways of dealing with this threat, and after the most blatant defence 2.Qxc4, Black has 2... Qxa3 threatening mate at b2. White has very few squares from which he can defend his b2 square and if the Queen remains on the c-file, then 3... Qa1+ and 4... Rc8(+) wins the Queen. White may try 3.Qd4 but then 3... Ra4 leaves White with very few options to defend Black's gathering onslaught.
b) White's most significant problem could be said to be a lack of development. His Rooks are poorly placed and his Queen is relegated to defence. Black's major pieces, however, are purposefully aligned and have a definite function. White's passed pawn couplet is pinned and blockaded and is also relegated to defence. It's not surprising that Black goes on to win this game.
Humphrey:
a) See solution
John:
b) Almost all Black's pieces and positioned perfectly on the Q-side (except Nf6) and ready to bomb down on White's King. Another good thing why Black's attack would be succesful, is because White has no counter-play. Thus White's only plus is an extra pawn, which are on the Q-side! So those only pluses of White's are not getting anywhere.
[Event "Puzzle #55"][Date "2009.01.23"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rr6/4ppk1/3p1np1/q2Pn2p/7P/P4PPN/QP2N3/1K1R3R b - - 0 1"]{The game line} 1...Nc4! 2.Qxc4 Qxa3 3.Qd4 Ra4 ({Humphrey} 3...Qa2+ 4.Kc2 Ra4 5.Qe3 Qxb2+ 6.Kd3 Rb3+ 7.Nc3 Rxc3#) 4.Qd2 Rab4 {White resigned}
Correct solutions:
John, Joshua, Andy Y - 20 points
Jeremy, Andy Q, Mark - 18 points
Joanne - 11 points
Humphrey - 10 points
Nathaniel, Wilson - 4 points
Each wrong try gets a 1 point deduction in case of providing the correct solution.
Standings:
John - 40 points
Joshua - 39 points
Andy Qian, Mark - 38 points
Jeremy - 37 points
Andy Yee - 31 points
Joanne - 21 points
Darren - 20 points
Jacky - 19 points
Wilson - 15 points
Humphrey, Marcus - 11 points
Katerina, James - 10 points
Nathaniel - 6 points
Karl - 2 point
a) White to move and mate in 7 (5 points)
b) What strategy is White using to win this endgame? (10 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 15 points. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #57.
Puzzle #55 solution:
Best answers of the week:
Andy Yee:
a) Black has a potent attack and must strike while the iron is hot. He starts with 1... Nc4, which carries the potent threat of Rxb2+. There are no nice ways of dealing with this threat, and after the most blatant defence 2.Qxc4, Black has 2... Qxa3 threatening mate at b2. White has very few squares from which he can defend his b2 square and if the Queen remains on the c-file, then 3... Qa1+ and 4... Rc8(+) wins the Queen. White may try 3.Qd4 but then 3... Ra4 leaves White with very few options to defend Black's gathering onslaught.
b) White's most significant problem could be said to be a lack of development. His Rooks are poorly placed and his Queen is relegated to defence. Black's major pieces, however, are purposefully aligned and have a definite function. White's passed pawn couplet is pinned and blockaded and is also relegated to defence. It's not surprising that Black goes on to win this game.
Humphrey:
a) See solution
John:
b) Almost all Black's pieces and positioned perfectly on the Q-side (except Nf6) and ready to bomb down on White's King. Another good thing why Black's attack would be succesful, is because White has no counter-play. Thus White's only plus is an extra pawn, which are on the Q-side! So those only pluses of White's are not getting anywhere.
[Event "Puzzle #55"][Date "2009.01.23"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rr6/4ppk1/3p1np1/q2Pn2p/7P/P4PPN/QP2N3/1K1R3R b - - 0 1"]{The game line} 1...Nc4! 2.Qxc4 Qxa3 3.Qd4 Ra4 ({Humphrey} 3...Qa2+ 4.Kc2 Ra4 5.Qe3 Qxb2+ 6.Kd3 Rb3+ 7.Nc3 Rxc3#) 4.Qd2 Rab4 {White resigned}
Correct solutions:
John, Joshua, Andy Y - 20 points
Jeremy, Andy Q, Mark - 18 points
Joanne - 11 points
Humphrey - 10 points
Nathaniel, Wilson - 4 points
Each wrong try gets a 1 point deduction in case of providing the correct solution.
Standings:
John - 40 points
Joshua - 39 points
Andy Qian, Mark - 38 points
Jeremy - 37 points
Andy Yee - 31 points
Joanne - 21 points
Darren - 20 points
Jacky - 19 points
Wilson - 15 points
Humphrey, Marcus - 11 points
Katerina, James - 10 points
Nathaniel - 6 points
Karl - 2 point
Mate in 7