Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #91"][Date "2009.10.16"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r1b2r2/1p1pNpkp/3pn1p1/2pN3P/2PnP3/q3QP2/p3BKP1/1R5R w - - 0 1"]
One of the most exciting strategies in chess is to play an opposite wing attack. Both sides launch vicious attacks, one on the Queen-side and the other one on the King-side, with the winner normally decided by the following guiding ideas:
a) attacking the King is always more dangerous;
b) the faster attack always win. I have also played quite a few games using this strategy and they create a powerful feeling; of course it is a lot more pleasant to be on the winning side!
Today's position comes from a game played between 2 players with the same name: P F Schmidt - P R Schmidt, Heidelberg 1946. A superficial look would tell us that Black's attack came faster, as White's Queen-side has been wiped out. However taking into consideration what I said above your tasks are:
a) Analyse the position to decide who's better (10 points)
b) White to move and win (10 points). A precise response to number 2 will get you 5 bonus points
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #92.
Puzzle #90 solution:
This position has originally been posted on Chessbase website. It was not easy to choose between the answers received, so my selection should not upset anyone. All three best answers were excellent! Rick wrote:
The first thing I did when I saw this puzzle was to try and eliminate "B) 50. Qe4 ..." because you wouldn't normally give us the answer like that. I discovered then: 1.Qe4 Qxd5+! 2.Qxd5 Rc5! 3.Rxc5 dxc5 obviously gives Black a huge advantage with 2 passed pawns. I thought white had to give perpetual check and draw, but then I got another idea. See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #90"][Date "2009.10.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/pq2p1k1/1p1pP1bR/1P1P2K1/2rp4/8/P5Q1/8 b - - 0 49"]49...Be8 50.Rh8!! (50.Qe4 Qxd5+! 51.Qxd5 Rc5 52.Qxc5 dxc5 {This gives Black the advantage with those passed pawns}) 50...Qxd5+ (50...Kxh8?? 51.Kh6 Bg6 52.Qxg6 Qxd5 53.Qg7#) (50...Bxb5?? 51.Kh5+ Kxh8 (51...Kf6 52.Qg5#) 52.Kh6 d3 53.Qg7#) (50...Qa8 51.Rg8+ Kxg8 52.Kh6+ Bg6 53.Qxg6+ Kf8 54.Qf7#) 51.Qxd5 Rc5 52.Qxc5 dxc5 53.Rxe8 {White wins. Have you ever seen a King better than the white one in this game?}
Correct solutions:
Karl, Owen, Rick - 20 points
Humphrey - 15 points
Nathaniel - 10 points
Andy Q, James, Katerina - 2 points
Standings:
Karl - 98 points
Rick - 90 points
Owen - 79 points
Andy Q - 75 points
Jeffrey - 43 points
Humphrey - 24 points
James - 19 points
Katerina - 12 points
Alex, Nathaniel - 10 points
Wilson - 2 points
a) attacking the King is always more dangerous;
b) the faster attack always win. I have also played quite a few games using this strategy and they create a powerful feeling; of course it is a lot more pleasant to be on the winning side!
Today's position comes from a game played between 2 players with the same name: P F Schmidt - P R Schmidt, Heidelberg 1946. A superficial look would tell us that Black's attack came faster, as White's Queen-side has been wiped out. However taking into consideration what I said above your tasks are:
a) Analyse the position to decide who's better (10 points)
b) White to move and win (10 points). A precise response to number 2 will get you 5 bonus points
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #92.
Puzzle #90 solution:
This position has originally been posted on Chessbase website. It was not easy to choose between the answers received, so my selection should not upset anyone. All three best answers were excellent! Rick wrote:
The first thing I did when I saw this puzzle was to try and eliminate "B) 50. Qe4 ..." because you wouldn't normally give us the answer like that. I discovered then: 1.Qe4 Qxd5+! 2.Qxd5 Rc5! 3.Rxc5 dxc5 obviously gives Black a huge advantage with 2 passed pawns. I thought white had to give perpetual check and draw, but then I got another idea. See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #90"][Date "2009.10.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "8/pq2p1k1/1p1pP1bR/1P1P2K1/2rp4/8/P5Q1/8 b - - 0 49"]49...Be8 50.Rh8!! (50.Qe4 Qxd5+! 51.Qxd5 Rc5 52.Qxc5 dxc5 {This gives Black the advantage with those passed pawns}) 50...Qxd5+ (50...Kxh8?? 51.Kh6 Bg6 52.Qxg6 Qxd5 53.Qg7#) (50...Bxb5?? 51.Kh5+ Kxh8 (51...Kf6 52.Qg5#) 52.Kh6 d3 53.Qg7#) (50...Qa8 51.Rg8+ Kxg8 52.Kh6+ Bg6 53.Qxg6+ Kf8 54.Qf7#) 51.Qxd5 Rc5 52.Qxc5 dxc5 53.Rxe8 {White wins. Have you ever seen a King better than the white one in this game?}
Correct solutions:
Karl, Owen, Rick - 20 points
Humphrey - 15 points
Nathaniel - 10 points
Andy Q, James, Katerina - 2 points
Standings:
Karl - 98 points
Rick - 90 points
Owen - 79 points
Andy Q - 75 points
Jeffrey - 43 points
Humphrey - 24 points
James - 19 points
Katerina - 12 points
Alex, Nathaniel - 10 points
Wilson - 2 points
Opposite wing attack