Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #75"][Date "2009.06.26"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "2N3k1/6p1/8/6P1/8/K3p3/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
My first choice was a nice puzzle I saw a couple of years ago about a rambling Rook. I remember it was very funny, as a King kept being chased by the opposite Rook around a pawn chain. Unfortunately I could not find it in time (will still be looking for it), so I had to come up with plan B.
I Ilin (Russia) is one lesser known composer with very interesting ideas. Today I chose a puzzle dealing with the fight between a passed pawn and a far away Knight. How many times have you played games where a passer proved to be a killer? Probably lots as it is something I see quite often especially in games played by juniors. Will the Knight be capable to fight for his King and keep the balance of this position? Your tasks are:
a) White to move and draw
b) Explain your solution
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #76.
Puzzle #74 solution:
This was a very difficult puzzle. I was happy to see you guys did some research for the game and I counted that effort. The harder part was to come up with clear cut lines proving Karpov made the rigth choice by sacrificing the exchange when he did. A few of you asked why did White resign so early. The reason was simpler than expected: he lost on time. During tough moments I normally go back to solid choices and one of those is John's solution:
a) White's positives: White has good, defensive pieces, ready to charge forward with counter-play.
White's negatives: 3 pawn islands, where as Black only has two. White's pieces are defensive at the moment, which gives Black attacking tempo.
White's plan is: Try to efficiently start counter-play, while trying to disrupt Black's play, which will give White tempo.
Black's positives: All his pieces are active, pointing toward the frightened Kh2. Good, strong pawns guarding Kf7, which makes White panic desperately.
Black's negatives: Black has an isolated pawn on b6, but Black doesn't really care, for he has a huge attack on the K-side. White doesn't even have enough tempi to eat it!
Black's plan is: as we saw, White's only positive is his defensive pieces prepared for efficient counter-play. So Black wants to stop this, while efficiently attacking on the K-side. So Black comes up with a solution! The best defense if offense! So now, Black must increase his advantage efficiently by attacking with his ferocious positive (his active, deadly pieces)
b) See solution:
Would also like to point out that Andy Q did a lot of work and his answer was very close to John's.
[Event "Puzzle #74"][Date "2009.06.19"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/5kp1/1p2ppnp/8/3P4/r4N1P/PR2QPPK/2q5 b - - 0 22"]22...Rxf3 23.gxf3 Nh4 {here White lost on time. Some possible continuations are} 24.Rc2 (24.Rxb6 Qc7+ {Black wins}) (24.Rd2 Qxd2 25.Qxd2 Nxf3+ 26.Kg3 Nxd2 {Black wins}) (24.Rb3 Qg5 {Excellent team work between Q and N} 25.Qf1 Qf4+ 26.Kh1 Nxf3 27.Kg2 Nd2 {Black wins}) 24...Qg5 25.Qf1 Qf4+ 26.Kh1 Nxf3 27.Qg2 Nxd4 {This seems to be white's best choice}
Correct solutions:
Joanne - 50 points - for providing the puzzle
John - 45 points
Joshua, Andy Q, Karl - 40 points
Andy Y - 30 points
Wilson, James - 15 points
Marcus - 10 points for puzzle #72 + 10 points for puzzle #73
James - 15 points for puzzle #73
Standings:
John - 499 points
Joshua - 471 points
Andy Qian - 444 points
Andy Yee - 400 points
Karl - 396 points
Jeremy - 307 points
James - 285 points
Wilson - 256 points
Mark - 223 points
Humphrey - 174 points
Marcus - 166 points
Katerina - 123 points
Joanne - 97 points
Nathaniel - 93 points
Jacky - 80 points
Alex Ge - 76 points
Ricky - 58 points
Danny, Owen - 40 points
Jin-Lang - 37 points
Darren - 20 points
I Ilin (Russia) is one lesser known composer with very interesting ideas. Today I chose a puzzle dealing with the fight between a passed pawn and a far away Knight. How many times have you played games where a passer proved to be a killer? Probably lots as it is something I see quite often especially in games played by juniors. Will the Knight be capable to fight for his King and keep the balance of this position? Your tasks are:
a) White to move and draw
b) Explain your solution
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #76.
Puzzle #74 solution:
This was a very difficult puzzle. I was happy to see you guys did some research for the game and I counted that effort. The harder part was to come up with clear cut lines proving Karpov made the rigth choice by sacrificing the exchange when he did. A few of you asked why did White resign so early. The reason was simpler than expected: he lost on time. During tough moments I normally go back to solid choices and one of those is John's solution:
a) White's positives: White has good, defensive pieces, ready to charge forward with counter-play.
White's negatives: 3 pawn islands, where as Black only has two. White's pieces are defensive at the moment, which gives Black attacking tempo.
White's plan is: Try to efficiently start counter-play, while trying to disrupt Black's play, which will give White tempo.
Black's positives: All his pieces are active, pointing toward the frightened Kh2. Good, strong pawns guarding Kf7, which makes White panic desperately.
Black's negatives: Black has an isolated pawn on b6, but Black doesn't really care, for he has a huge attack on the K-side. White doesn't even have enough tempi to eat it!
Black's plan is: as we saw, White's only positive is his defensive pieces prepared for efficient counter-play. So Black wants to stop this, while efficiently attacking on the K-side. So Black comes up with a solution! The best defense if offense! So now, Black must increase his advantage efficiently by attacking with his ferocious positive (his active, deadly pieces)
b) See solution:
Would also like to point out that Andy Q did a lot of work and his answer was very close to John's.
[Event "Puzzle #74"][Date "2009.06.19"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/5kp1/1p2ppnp/8/3P4/r4N1P/PR2QPPK/2q5 b - - 0 22"]22...Rxf3 23.gxf3 Nh4 {here White lost on time. Some possible continuations are} 24.Rc2 (24.Rxb6 Qc7+ {Black wins}) (24.Rd2 Qxd2 25.Qxd2 Nxf3+ 26.Kg3 Nxd2 {Black wins}) (24.Rb3 Qg5 {Excellent team work between Q and N} 25.Qf1 Qf4+ 26.Kh1 Nxf3 27.Kg2 Nd2 {Black wins}) 24...Qg5 25.Qf1 Qf4+ 26.Kh1 Nxf3 27.Qg2 Nxd4 {This seems to be white's best choice}
Correct solutions:
Joanne - 50 points - for providing the puzzle
John - 45 points
Joshua, Andy Q, Karl - 40 points
Andy Y - 30 points
Wilson, James - 15 points
Marcus - 10 points for puzzle #72 + 10 points for puzzle #73
James - 15 points for puzzle #73
Standings:
John - 499 points
Joshua - 471 points
Andy Qian - 444 points
Andy Yee - 400 points
Karl - 396 points
Jeremy - 307 points
James - 285 points
Wilson - 256 points
Mark - 223 points
Humphrey - 174 points
Marcus - 166 points
Katerina - 123 points
Joanne - 97 points
Nathaniel - 93 points
Jacky - 80 points
Alex Ge - 76 points
Ricky - 58 points
Danny, Owen - 40 points
Jin-Lang - 37 points
Darren - 20 points
Material imbalance endgame