Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #95"][Date "2009.11.13"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "4r2k/3R3p/4p1pB/1n1pKp2/3P4/5P1P/6P1/8 w - - 0 1"]
We have talked time and time again about the importance of winning our games as fast as possible. It is important to do so because you can rest more between games, or you avoid getting tired and doing mistakes on your own if the game goes on for too long. The top players are following the same principles as well. This position is from a game played long time ago back in 1922. The game is still in the balance at the moment, but White has an opportunity to finish it faster. Your tasks:
a) Analyse the position and prepare the best plan for White
b) White to move and win
c) Why was the Bishop stronger than the Knight and why was this unusual?
This is not very complicated if you do your analysis right. My hope is to get only top responses this time around! Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #96.
Puzzle #94 solution:
This study by V & M Platov from 1907 got some very nice answers. Here is just one of them: Karl wrote:
For this week's puzzle, I have a weird solution. Was I supposed to have a weird solution???
a) Material: White is up a Rook for a pawn, but Black has a pawn on the second rank, worth as much as a Rook, but then there's the White pawn on the sixth rank, which is worth about as much as a Bishop.
King safety: White's King is obviously safer (or at least until the Black pawn promotes). The Black king is being attacked by the White pieces and the White pawn can join the attack any time.
Square rule: The Black King is in the square of the "h6" pawn which is the biggest threat. The White king isn't in the square of the "h2" pawn, and his Rook can't stop it, so Black is better in this point of veiw.
Drawing strategy: There are many ways to draw: stalemate, prepetual check, three-fold repetition, 50-moves rule, and trading material until your opponent doesn't have sufficient material to mate. The problem with three-fold repetition and the 50-moves rule is that Black will simply promote. Perpetual check is really hard since Black can just take the White piece checking after a few different moves. Position: Because of the blockade of pawns on the "f-" file, the White bishop has no chance of catching the Black pawn, even with discovery check. If only white can get a stalemate when Black promotes... If White manages to trade off his Rook for Black's queening pawn, then White can draw.
b) See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #94"][Date "2009.11.06"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5Bk1/2R5/2p4P/p4p2/1p3P2/1P6/7p/1bK5 w - - 0 1"]1.h7+ Kh8 (1...Kxf8?? 2.h8=Q#) 2.Bg7+ Kxh7 {By sacrificing the h-pawn White can continue stalling Black's promotion and get extra moves with his discovery check} 3.Ba1+!? Kh6 {No matter where the Black King goes (except for the blunder), White will keep checking him} (3...Kg8?? 4.Rg7+ Kh8 5.Rg2+ {White wins}) 4.Rxc6+ Kh5 5.Kb2!! Be4! (5...h1=Q? 6.Rh6+ Kxh6 {Stalemate}) 6.Rc1 h1=Q 7.Rxh1+ Bxh1 8.Kc2 Kg4 9.Be5 {Now White can get a sure draw with the opposite colour Bishops}
Correct solutions:
Owen, Karl, Rick - 20 points
Andy Q - 19 points
Peter, Alex, Humphrey - 5 points
Jeffrey - 2 points
Standings:
Karl - 175 points
Owen - 157 points
Andy Q - 145 points
Rick - 135 points
Jeffrey - 87 points
Humphrey - 43 points
Nathaniel - 32 points
Alex - 30 points
James - 24 points
Katerina - 22 points
Peter - 5 points
Wilson - 2 points
a) Analyse the position and prepare the best plan for White
b) White to move and win
c) Why was the Bishop stronger than the Knight and why was this unusual?
This is not very complicated if you do your analysis right. My hope is to get only top responses this time around! Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #96.
Puzzle #94 solution:
This study by V & M Platov from 1907 got some very nice answers. Here is just one of them: Karl wrote:
For this week's puzzle, I have a weird solution. Was I supposed to have a weird solution???
a) Material: White is up a Rook for a pawn, but Black has a pawn on the second rank, worth as much as a Rook, but then there's the White pawn on the sixth rank, which is worth about as much as a Bishop.
King safety: White's King is obviously safer (or at least until the Black pawn promotes). The Black king is being attacked by the White pieces and the White pawn can join the attack any time.
Square rule: The Black King is in the square of the "h6" pawn which is the biggest threat. The White king isn't in the square of the "h2" pawn, and his Rook can't stop it, so Black is better in this point of veiw.
Drawing strategy: There are many ways to draw: stalemate, prepetual check, three-fold repetition, 50-moves rule, and trading material until your opponent doesn't have sufficient material to mate. The problem with three-fold repetition and the 50-moves rule is that Black will simply promote. Perpetual check is really hard since Black can just take the White piece checking after a few different moves. Position: Because of the blockade of pawns on the "f-" file, the White bishop has no chance of catching the Black pawn, even with discovery check. If only white can get a stalemate when Black promotes... If White manages to trade off his Rook for Black's queening pawn, then White can draw.
b) See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #94"][Date "2009.11.06"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5Bk1/2R5/2p4P/p4p2/1p3P2/1P6/7p/1bK5 w - - 0 1"]1.h7+ Kh8 (1...Kxf8?? 2.h8=Q#) 2.Bg7+ Kxh7 {By sacrificing the h-pawn White can continue stalling Black's promotion and get extra moves with his discovery check} 3.Ba1+!? Kh6 {No matter where the Black King goes (except for the blunder), White will keep checking him} (3...Kg8?? 4.Rg7+ Kh8 5.Rg2+ {White wins}) 4.Rxc6+ Kh5 5.Kb2!! Be4! (5...h1=Q? 6.Rh6+ Kxh6 {Stalemate}) 6.Rc1 h1=Q 7.Rxh1+ Bxh1 8.Kc2 Kg4 9.Be5 {Now White can get a sure draw with the opposite colour Bishops}
Correct solutions:
Owen, Karl, Rick - 20 points
Andy Q - 19 points
Peter, Alex, Humphrey - 5 points
Jeffrey - 2 points
Standings:
Karl - 175 points
Owen - 157 points
Andy Q - 145 points
Rick - 135 points
Jeffrey - 87 points
Humphrey - 43 points
Nathaniel - 32 points
Alex - 30 points
James - 24 points
Katerina - 22 points
Peter - 5 points
Wilson - 2 points
7th rank domination (part 1)