All
the |
(Navigation bar
directly below.)
*******
© A.J. Goldsby, 2015.
(All rights reserved.)
****************
Click HERE
to see my
Chess Items.
****************
****************
Buy a book
from Amazon.com
(And help me out as well!)
****************
Click HERE
...
to see a list of the businesses that help to sponsor all of
my chess efforts.
A.J.'s Monthly/Weekly Chess Puzzles
(Solutions Page #3)
(All solutions for problems posted in 2006.)
This will be my page, (created in December, 2005); to permanently record all of my weekly chess problems. I will give the position, {a diagram}; a position check, {where all the pieces are} the participants in the game or who composed the problem, the source of the problem, etc. (All the pertinent and necessary information.)
Plus I will at least give the solution - maybe with some light analysis and explanation as well.
Don't expect me to give the solution before the next problem is posted ... it isn't going to happen!!
The diagrams on this page were all created with either Chess Captor 2.25 or ChessBase. (8.0 or 9.0)
*******
Please ... DO NOT send me any e-mails about this feature. Solve the problem, do it on your own. HAVE FUN WITH IT!!! I have more than enough books and stuff to provide the material for this feature. Please don't - send me your games!! No, no, no! Don't bother, OK?
If you are one of those individuals who used a computer to solve this, you need not ever tell me about it! (I especially don't want to hear from someone who used Fritz, and claims to have completed their analysis on their very own!!! Ugh! I would not believe you, anyway.)
Want more puzzles? Then try here. Or here.
Puzzle Number # 32; Friday; January 20th, 2006.
|
|
Black to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
3qnrk1/4bppp/3p4/r3nPP1/4P2P/NpQ1B3/1P6/1K1R1B1R
b
**********************************************************************
|
Black to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* As I pen these words, GM Vishy Anand is leading the CORUS (masters-A) chess tournament. Earlier in this event, he played this incredible idea. Can you figure out what line of play Anand chose? |
**************************************************************************************
Anand is about to play one of the most amazing concepts of modern times.
How does Black proceed?
***************************************
This is all from the contest:
GM Sergey Karjakin (2660) - GM Viswanathan Anand
(2792);
Super Master Tournament /
CORUS, "A" group
Wijk aan Zee, NED; (R #1) / 14,01,2006. [replay]
23...Qa8!!; (Maybe - '!!!' or even '!!!!')
A nice conception but somewhat logical given the open lines on the Queen-side. So why all the hoopla?
24.Bg2 Nc7!!;
This fantastic move ... even looks like a blunder.
25.Qxc7 Rc8!!;
OK ... (But now Black will lose yet another piece!!!)
26.Qxe7 Nc4!; 27.g6!?, ('?!'/'?')
This looks good, (and almost forced) ...
but is not quite the best line of play for White.
[ Fritz finds the amazing defense:
>/= 27.Bc5!! Nxa3+;
28.bxa3! Rxa3; 29.Qxd6 Ra1+; 30.Kb2 Ra2+;
31.Kb1!? Ra1+;
32.Kb2 Ra2+; 33.Kb1, "=" (repeats the position)
when the game is now drawn!
(If Black wants to win, 31...Rxg2!; might be a good try.) ]
27...hxg6!; 28.fxg6 Nxa3+;
29.bxa3[],
White has no choice.
[ </= 29.Ka1? Nc2+; 30.Kb1 Ra1#. ]
29...Rxa3; 30.gxf7+ Kh7!; 31.f8N+ Rxf8; 32.Qxf8 Ra1+!;
33.Kb2 Ra2+; 34.Kc3!?, ('?')
Realizing that he is lost, young GM Karjakin falls on his sword.
[ Or (>/=) 34.Kb1 Qxf8; ("-/+") ]
34...Qa5+; 35.Kd3 Qb5+;
36.Kd4 Ra4+; 37.Kc3 Qc4+;
"-/+"
White resigns ... its mate in two.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
0 - 1
Puzzle Number # 33; Monday / January 30th, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
r3r1k1/p2b1pp1/1p1P4/2p2PB1/3Np1nQ/2qnP2P/P5P1/3R1RK1
w
**********************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* Black just captured a WB on g4, now it is the first player's turn to move. Can White win this, or does he have to try and force a draw from this position? |
**************************************************************************************
The game proceeded as follows:
36.f6 Nde5; 37.fxg7 Ng6; 38.Qh5 cxd4;
39.hxg4 Re5; 40.Rf5 Rxf5; 41.gxf5 dxe3;
42.fxg6 Qxg7; 43.gxf7+ Qxf7; 44.Qe2 Qf2+;
"~" {Diagram.}
and here the contestants agreed to a draw.
NM A. Gunnarsson (2289) - GM Ivan Sokolov (2658);
[A21]
The Jonsson Memorial Open / Reykjavik,
Iceland; (R #9) / 23,10,2001.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
******* ******* *******
Click HERE to replay the entire game. Click here to see this game annotated, (text).
½ - ½
Puzzle Number # 34; Sunday / February 19th, 2006.
|
|
Black to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
8/6p1/2p2n1p/r1Nb1k2/P2Pp3/R5PP/5KB1/8 b
**********************************************************************
Weekly Problem; January, 2006. (# 03)
Take a long look at this position.
It is Black to move here.
Problem # 01.)
What is the best move for the second party here?
(One best answer, although Black has many different tries here.)
Problem # 02.)
If Black plays 1...Ne8; in this position, how should White respond?
***********************************************************************
(Black's best move is probably: 1...h5!; in the initial position.)
[ In the actual game, Black chose the move of: 32...Ne8?!; ('?') {D?}
in the given position.Now it is "White to move and win."
The game now proceeded: 33.Bxe4+!! Bxe4; 34.g4+! Kf6[];
This is pretty much forced.( </= 34...Kf4??; 35.Ne6#. )
35.Nxe4+ Ke6; 36.Ke3, '±' {Diagram?}
when White had greatly increased his advantage ...
and went on to win (1-0) a nearly perfect game.A. Alekhine - S. Tartakower; / San Remo, Italy; 1930. ]
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
Puzzle Number # 35 / Saturday; March 11th, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
r4rk1/p2n1ppp/1p1p4/8/4Pp1Q/2qBBR2/b1P3PP/3R3K w
**********************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* Black just captured on f4. Should White recapture here, or does the first party have a better play? |
**************************************************************************************
The game continued: 21.e5!, (Maybe - '!!')
(The best move.)
White MUST immediately open lines, or suffer a bad fate.
[ Less effective was: </=
21.Bxf4 Ne5; "~" (Maybe
"=/+")
when Black has no real problems.
*************************************************************************
Also unconvincing would have been the continuation:
</= 21.Rh3?! h6;
22.Bxf4 Qf6; "=/+"
with a good game for Black. ("/+")
]
21...g6[];
Now Black has no choice.
[ </= 21...h6?; 22.Bxf4 f5; (Box?) 23.Be4! Qc5; 24.Bxa8 Rxa8; 25.exd6, "+/-" ]
22.Bxf4 Nxe5; 23.Qf6!,
This is (probably) best, now the first party threatens the classic mating pattern with Bh6.
[ Or 23.Rh3!? h5; "~" ]
Black's replay looks to be forced.
23...Rac8; (Protects the BQ on c3.)
Thus far, Black has defended in a reasonably competent manner.
Study this position carefully.
White to move here ... what should the first player do?
24.Bc4!!, (tempo)
A really stunning move, one that take your breath away.
White plays a move that at first looks like "give-away," but then after contemplation, you will come to understand that Black cannot expend even a single tempo to accept this 'Greek gift.'
[ </= 24.Bh6 Nxf3; "-/+" ]
24...Nxf3!?;
Black is trying, analysis will reveal that his position may already be beyond saving.
[ Not </= 24...Qxc4??; 25.Bh6, "+/-" with mate coming on g7.
*************************************************************************
Or (>/=) 24...Rxc4; 25.Rxc3, "+/-" is no fun for Black. ]
25.Qxc3 Ne5; 26.Rxd6, "+/-" and Black Resigned.
[ After the moves of:
26.Rxd6 Nxc4!?; 27.Bh6 f6;
28.Rxf6 Rf7;
29.Rxf7 Kxf7;
30.Qa1 a5; 31.Qxa2, "+/-" {Diagram?}
it is a relatively simple win for the first party here.
]
All this is from the contest:
IM Boris Savchenko (2569) - NM Nikita Vitiugov (2573); /
[B48]
The "Under-20" Russian Championships,
(U20ch-RUS)
/ Cheboksary, RUS; (R # 02) /
03,03,2006. (Find
it here.)
A brilliant combination.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 36 / Saturday; April 01, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
4r1k1/1bq1bppp/p2pp3/1p4PP/2rBP3/P1N1QP2/1PP5/1K1R2R1 w
**********************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* It is
the first player's turn to play ... |
**************************************************************************************
A great little problem that was taken a recent SUPER-GM competition.
This is all from the contest:
GM Vassily Ivanchuk (2729) -
GM Loek Van Wely (2647);
/ [B80]
"The Melody Amber Tournament" {The Blindfold section of this event.}
Monte Carlo, MNC; (R3) / 03, 2006.
20.b3!, (Maybe - '!!')
An excellent move ... and it is also a big-time trap.
[ Also good for White was: 20.g6!, '±' when Ivanchuk has a powerful attack. ]
20...Rc6!?; okey-dokey ...
Seemingly the only move, it is certainly the most natural one.
(If Van Wely had known what was in store for him, he might have
chosen 20...Rxd4! with some counterplay on the dark squares.)
21.Nd5!!,
An ultra-brilliant stroke ... it defies description and strains the limits of my credulity to think that Ivanchuk
played this shot without sight of the board!!!!!!!
[ Another idea was: 21.Rd3!?, "+/=" ]
21...exd5; ('[]')
{Box.}
This move is virtually forced.
[ Even worse would be: </=
21...Qd8?!; 22.Nf6+!, ("+/-")
when Black gets ripped to shreds. ]
22.exd5 Rxc2; hmmm
Black may as well, it does not matter in this position.
[ Black might have (also) tried: 22...Rc5!?; ('?!') 23.g6!! hxg6;
( </= 23...Rxd5?; 24.gxh7+ Kh8; 25.Bxg7+, ("+/-") and mates. )
24.hxg6 Rf8;
25.gxf7+ Rxf7; 26.Rxg7+ Rxg7; 27.Qe6+,
"+/-"
and White wins, (as in the game). ]
The rest does not require a lot of commentary to understand.
23.g6! hxg6; 24.hxg6 Rf8;
[ </= 24...Rh2?; 25.gxf7+ Kf8; 26.Bxg7+ Kxf7; 27.Qe6#. ]
25.gxf7+ Rxf7; 26.Bxg7!! Rxg7; [ Fritz chooses (the ugly) 26...Re2. ]
27.Qe6+ Kh8!?; [
>/= 27...Kf8; 28.Rxg7,
"+/-" (+ 18.02) ]
28.Rxg7 Kxg7;
Now according to several programs, Black must play "give-away" to stop the {impending} mate ...
[ (>/=) 28...Rb2+!?; 29.Kxb2 Bf6+; 30.Kb1!!, ("+/-") and White wins. ]
29.Rg1+, ("+/-") (GM
Van Wely throws in the towel.)
Its a mate in a few short moves, so poor Loek Van Wely decides it high time to resign and do something else,
like maybe read a good book ... [replay]
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 37; Wednesday; April 12th, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
5k1r/pp3ppb/2r1p2n/2b1P1BN/3p2PP/2N5/PPP2P2/3R1RK1
w
**********************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* It is White's turn to move in
this position. What move should the GM (who is playing the White pieces) play here? |
**************************************************************************************
This is all based on the contest:
GM Arkadij Naiditsch (2657) -
GM Alexander Galkin
(2616);
[B12]
ICT /
The Aeroflot Open
Moscow,
RUS; (R#7) /
14,02,2006.
18.Na4!,
Easily the best move, note that the first party does not try and stop to defend anything.
[ Also possible was: 18.Bxh6!?, "~" (18...PxN/h6; 19.Ne2, etc.) ]
18...Be7!?;
(Maybe dubious?)
Black's seventeenth move was a real error, and this is probably a little less than best. (Black probably had to play 18...BxP/c2 here.)
[ Probably best was:
>/= 18...Bxc2;
19.Nxc5 Bxd1;
20.Nd7+ Ke8; 21.Rxd1 Kxd7;
22.Rxd4+ Kc8;
23.Nxg7 Rc2; 24.h5, "~" with good play,
(for White).
( The following lines give a hint of what could have happened to Black in
this continuation.
24.h5 Rxb2; 25.Rc4+ Kb8;
( </= 25...Kd7?!; 26.Rf4 Rxa2;
27.Bxh6 Rxh6; 28.Rxf7+ Kc6;
29.Rf6 Rh7; 30.Nxe6 Kd5;
31.Nf8 Rc7; 32.Kh2 Kxe5;
33.Rf5+ Ke4; 34.h6 Rcc2!?; 35.Kg3, "+/-" )
26.Bxh6 Rxh6; 27.Rf4 Rb5;
28.Rxf7 Rxe5; 29.f4 Re2;
30.Rf8+!!,
30...Kc7; 31.g5! Rh7; 32.g6! Rxg7;
33.Rf7+!, "+/-" and White wins. )
]
19.Rxd4 Bxc2;
One move too late.
20.Rd7!, "+/-"
Black Resigns.
The second player quit because White was threatening to take on e7 ... (with check).
---> And 20...BxB/g5; 21.hxg5, Nxg4; costs Black a Rook.
[ Black's best line of play was:
20.Rd7 Nxg4;
21.Bxe7+ Ke8;
22.Rd8+ Kxe7; 23.Rxh8 Bxa4;
24.Rb8 Rb6;
25.b3 Bc6;
(This could be forced.)
( </= 25...Bb5?; 26.Rc1 Nxe5; 27.Rc7+ Kd6; 28.Rcxb7!, "+/-" )
26.Nxg7, '±' (Maybe "+/-")
{Diagram?}
but it is easy - looking at the current position - to understand why
Black did not wish to continue. ]
A good game by Naiditsch, I am always attracted to a miniature ...
especially one where both parties are over 2600!
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 38; Saturday; April 22nd, 2006.
|
|
Black to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
3r2k1/5ppp/5q2/2pbN3/5n2/2Q1RP2/1P3P1P/5B1K b
**********************************************************************
|
Black to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* It is Black to move in this position. Black is obviously better ... your job is to find the knock-out blow. (What Black actually played in this contest.) |
**************************************************************************************
This is all based on the contest:
GM Gabriel Sargissian (2603) - GM Liviu Dieter Nisipeanu (2693);
[E10] / Bundesliga 2005-6 / Solingen,
GER; (R #11) / 19,02,2006.
Nisipeanu is one of the more exciting players in chess today, his nickname is: "the new Tal." From what I have seen, he always seems to play complex and interesting chess.
25...Qh4!; 26.Qe1!?,
Seemingly the natural response.
[ Another idea was: 26.Kg1!?, but Black is probably still winning. ]
26...Re8!;
Now Black has threats like ...f6; to be followed by ...BxP/f3+.
27.Bc4?!, (Maybe - '?')
White is lost no matter what ... but this move does not help White to escape his difficulties here.
[ Probably White's best line was:
>/= 27.Kg1 h5!; 28.Qc3 Re6!;
but Black would still come out on top from here. ("-/+")
]
27...Rxe5!; 28.Bxd5[],
Here - White really had no choice in the matter.
[ </= 28.Rxe5? Bxf3+; 29.Kg1 Qg4+; 30.Kf1 Qg2#. ]
28...Qg5; ('!')
29.Qg1 Qxg1+;
"-/+"
White resigns, as he will come out a piece down after the exchange of Queens.
A scintillating victory by one of the more interesting chess players on the chess scene today. (He - here - defeated a 2600+ player in less than thirty moves ... with the BLACK pieces!!!)
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
0 - 1
Puzzle Number # 39 / Monday; May 8th, 2006.
|
|
Black to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
br4k1/3R1ppp/1q2p3/1Pb5/2P2P2/2Q1p3/2N1B1PP/2K5 b
**********************************************************************
|
Black to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* It is the second player's turn to play in this particular position, what move SHOULD Black play here? |
**************************************************************************************
This is all from the relatively recent
(uneven) Super-GM clash:
GM Ruslan Ponomariov (2738) - GM Alexander Grischuk
(2719);
XIII TCh-RUS (Club Cup?) / Sochi, RUS; (R #2) /
21,04,2006.
The second player clearly has the upper hand here.
**************************************************************************
Play should have went something like the following continuation:
28...Bc6!;
The correct move for Black. 29.PxB/c6??, Qb1#; is not something you would expect
two players rated over 2700+ to miss! {At least -
not normally!}
[ The actual game, instead saw the nearly unbelievable sequence of:
</= 28...Bxg2?!; 29.Qe5 Bc6??;
A mistake of fairly large proportions, certainly not the kind of chess
that GM A. Grischuk normally plays!(Better was: >/= 29...h6; "/+" when Black is clearly on top.)
(Now Black is reduced to trying for tricks and swindles.)
30.Rc7! Bf3!?; 31.Bxf3! Bd6; 32.Rc6!, "+/-" {Diag?}
and poor Grischuk resigned as 32...Bxe5; 33.Rxb6, Rxb6;
34.fxe5, Kf8; and now 35.Nxe3, will leave White with a fairly
easily won endgame. ("+/-"){White's two connected, passed - pawns roll up the board.} ]
29.Rd1 Be4!; 30.Bd3!? Bb7!;
(Putting the Bishop on a8 might also be good here.)
31.Qe5!? Ra8!; "/+" {Diagram?}
when Black is much better ... if not winning outright.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
0 - 1
Puzzle Number # 40 / Thursday; June 01, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
6k1/1p1b1rp1/1q2p2p/p1bp4/6BP/PP1Q1NP1/1B4K1/4R3 w
**********************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* White is materially ahead here, so there are many paths to the ultimate goal. We could be given a display
in ... "hack-and-stack" chess, i.e., swap and go for the
endgame. |
**************************************************************************************
All this is the from the contest:
GM Viswanathan Anand (2803) - FM Cegmed Batchuluun (2303);
The 37th (FIDE) Olympiad (A bi-annual world team champ.)
Turin, ITA; (R #3) / 23,05,2006.
29.a4!,
Prevents any harassment of White's Queen on d3.
[ </= 29.Re2?? Bb5; "~" ]
29...Rf8;
Black has few constructive or useful moves in this position.
White's next move is useful, as it safeguards the White King, and
allows White the freedom to go
on the offensive.
30.Re2 Bc8;
Black's Bishop was hanging, now it is on a protected square in case the second player would like to
try and play ...e6-e5.
31.Qg6!,
The simplest, White threatens a mate in one. And if Black plays 31...Rf7; 32.RxP/e6 is the outright
refutation of that idea. (So that 32...BxR; 33.BxB/e6 is a pin on the key Rook on f7.)
[ 31.Rxe6!? Bxe6; 32.Qg6 d4; 33.Bxe6+ Kh8; 34.Ne5, "+/-" ]
31...d4,
Fritz shows this to be forced.
[ </= 31...Rf7?!; 32.Bf5!! exf5?; 33.Re8+ Bf8; 34.Qxb6, "+/-" ]
32.Bxe6+ Kh8?;
Black does not want to trade down to the lost endgame ... so he gets mated instead.
[ >/= 32...Bxe6; 33.Qxe6+ Qxe6; 34.Rxe6 d3; 35.Bc3, "+/-" ]
33.Ng5! Qc6+; 34.Kh2, "+/-"
Black gives up, he is threatened with a mate in one and PxN/g5 is met by the simple Qh5#.
Anand always pleases with his combinations, and he shows why he is one of the world's very best
players.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 41. Friday; June 30th, 2006.
|
|
Black to move.
Position in
Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
1rbqk2r/p4pb1/2npp1pp/1pp5/1P1nP3/P1NPBNP1/2PQ1PBP/1R3RK1
b
*************************************************************************
|
Black to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* Black seems to have a fairly good game, should he get on with his development ... or does the second player have anything that is better? |
**************************************************************************************
White's last move was b2-b4?, let's see how GM Hjartarsson managed to take advantage of this miscue.
This is all derived from the contest:
GM V. Smyslov - GM J. Hjartarsson; / ICT, Masters
(F. Olafsson mem.) / R # 2
Reykjavik, Iceland; 1995.
13...Nxf3+; ('!') 14.Bxf3 Qf6;
Black attacks B/f3 and N/c3 ... at the same time. (Queen fork.)
15.Bg2?,
This is probably based on a miscalculation.
[ Better was:
>/= 15.Kg2! Qxc3; 16.e5 Qxd2;
17.Bxc6+ Bd7; 18.Bxd7+ Kxd7;
19.Bxd2 Bxe5; "/+" and while Black is a solid pawn
ahead, (and
should win); this is still a big improvement over the
course of the
actual game. ]
15...Qxc3; 16.e5!? Nd4!;
"-/+"
Now Black remains a piece ahead ... no matter what, so Smyslov resigned.
See the book:
"Excelling at Combinational Play," by IM Jacob Aagaard.
(Page # 115, problem # 346.)
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
0 - 1
Puzzle Number # 42; Tuesday; August 01st, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
7r/4k1p1/1p2ppPp/p6P/PbP1PP2/1n2K3/1B6/3R1B2 w
*************************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* The first player's position looks to be worse, is there anything that White can do to straighten this out? |
**************************************************************************************
This is all based on the GM struggle:
GM Baadur Jobava (2651) -
GM Wang Hao (2610);
GM National Scheveningen Tournament / Taiyuan,
CHI; (R7) / 10,07,2006.
32.c5!! Bxc5+;
33.Kf3! Bd6;
Black's Knight on b3 was about to trapped, so Black had to move his Bishop again.
34.Bc4! Nc5; 35.e5!! fxe5;
Black looks to have a viable game at this point, his defense looks solid.
|
|
7r/4k1p1/1p1bp1Pp/p1n1p2P/P1B2P2/5K2/1B6/3R4 w
Take a look at this position ... and see if you agree.
Now
watch what happens.
36.Rxd6!, (Maybe ... probably - '!!')
One of the most stunning moves of recent memory.
[ </= 36.fxe5 Rf8+; "~" ]
36...Kxd6!?; 37.Bxe5+ Ke7;
38.Bxg7 Rd8!?; 39.Bxh6! Rd4; 40.Bg5+ Kf8;
Black looks to be defending ... now it appears that White must lose a tempo when he moves
his attacked light-squared Bishop.
41.h6!! Rxc4; 42.Bf6! Nd7;
Is Black's defense holding?
43.h7!, Nope.
[ </= 43.Bb2 e5; "/+" ]
43...Nxf6; 44.h8Q+ Ng8;
45.Qh7! Rc3+; 46.Ke2, "+/-"
Black must forfeit his Knight on g8 as well ... his game would then be without any hope whatsoever.
(Fritz 9 is already seeing a mate on the horizon, sometime in the next 20 or so moves.)
An ULTRA-BRILLIANT combination by the winner of the Aeroflot Open. (The entire {annotated} game will be available as a download for my August {2006} column on my "Game of The Month" website.)
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 43; Sunday _ September 10th, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
r1r3k1/1p3ppp/3p1nn1/3P4/1p1NP3/p2b2PP/PP1N1PB1/2R1R1K1
w
White: Kg1, Nd2, d4,
Bg2, Rc1, e1, Pa2, b2, d5, e4, f2, g3, h3. / Black:
Kg8, Nf6, g6, Bd3, Ra8, c8, Pa3, b4, b7, d6, f7, g7, h7.
*************************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* The material is equal, and the Queens are off the board. White seems to have an advantage ... maybe. The question is, "How does White grow his advantage, and how to proceed from here?" |
**************************************************************************************
This is a problem taken from recent GM chess praxis.
This is based on the game:
GM Peter Leko (2738) - GM Arkadij Naiditsch (2664);
ICT "Sparkassen" C.M. / Dortmund,
GER; (R1) / 29,07,2006.
**************************************
White finds a long series of forcing moves that completely shatter the second player's defensive set-up.
23.Rxc8+! Rxc8; 24.bxa3 bxa3;
25.f4!,
White plans a nice, central Pawn breakthrough.
[25.Bf1!?]
25...h5!?; 26.Re3! Ba6; Forced.
[ But not </= 26...Bc4?; as 27.Rc3, "+/-" and White wins a piece on the open c-file. ]
27.Kf2! h4; 28.Bf3! Rc1!?;
29.e5!!,
The most forceful ... and much better than simply grabbing the poor button on a3.
29...dxe5; 30.fxe5 Nd7;
This looked almost forced, but now White wins outright.
[ Black's best chance may have
been Fritz's line here:
30...Nxe5;
31.Rxe5 Ra1; 32.g4 Rxa2; 33.Ke3, '±'
but White should win. ]
31.e6! fxe6; 32.dxe6 Nde5?;
This turns out to be a mistake.
[ >/= 32...Nf6[]; 33.Ne4! Kf8; 34.Nxf6 gxf6; 35.Be4, etc. ]
33.e7! Rc8;
There is really no choice here for Black.
[ Or if: 33...Kf7; then 34.Bh5, "+/-" and Black will lose a piece. ]
34.Bh5!, "+/-" Black Resigns.
Naiditsch quit because he is losing at least a piece from this position.
Beautiful and logical play by Leko!
(Fritz verifies that nearly every one of Leko's moves was the absolute
best ... is Peter Leko a cyborg?)
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 44; October, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
8/1R6/5npk/4q2p/1P1b4/3Q1B1P/P5P1/5K2 w
w
Kf1,Qd3,Bf3,Rb7,Pa2,b4,g2,h3 / b Kh6,Qe5,Nf6,Bd4,Pg6,h5
*************************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* With a few precise moves, the first player brings home the full point. (Hint - look for a quick knockout.) |
**************************************************************************************
S. Tiviakov (2668) - C. D'Amore (2470); / [B07] / 14th Master's Open /
Valle d'Aosta, Saint Vincent, ITA; (R7) / 06,10,2006.
41.Rb5!,
One might think that the answer lay in the idea of Qc4-f7, to try and
checkmate the Black King ...
but this is not so.
41...Qf4;
Fritz confirms this as Black's best move here.
42.Ke2!!,
Seemingly stepping out into danger.
[ </= 42.a4!? Ne4; "<=>" ]
42...g5;
Once more - the machine confirms this as the best try for Black.
(Black blocks the c1-h6 diagonal; to avoid the exchange of
Queens.)
43.Qd2!, "+/-"
Black Resigns, there is nothing left to play for. (I showed this to several
guys at chess club, no one there got it right ... or even came close
to the correct solution.)
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 45; November, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
q3k2r/5ppp/1Pb1p3/3pP3/rb1Q4/P4N2/5PPP/RN3RK1 w
w-
Kg1,Qd4,Nb1,f3,Ra1,f1,Pa3,b6,e5,f2,g2,h2/ b-
Ke8,Qa8,Bb4,c6,Ra4,h8,Pd5,e6,f7,g7,h7
*************************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* How does the first player get out of the pin on the a-file? (Hint: the solution is extremely clever.) |
**************************************************************************************
This is all based on the contest:
GM A. Areshchenko
(2670) - GM I. Khenkin
(2595); [B12]
/ Bundesliga 2006-7 / Eppingen, GER;
(2) /
29,10,2006.
The first sixteen moves were: 1.e4 c6; 2.d4 d5; 3.e5 c5!?; 4.dxc5!? Nc6; 5.Bb5 e6; 6.Be3 Nge7; 7.c3 Nf5; 8.Bd4 Bd7; 9.Bxc6 Bxc6; 10.Nf3 Nxd4; 11.Qxd4 a5; 12.b4 axb4; 13.cxb4 b6; 14.cxb6 Ra4; 15.a3 Qa8; 16.0-0 Bxb4;
(Now) It is White to move here.
17.axb4!!,
In my opinion, this is brilliant ... and completely unexpected.
(Give yourself half-credit for 17.Nc3, as this is an extremely logical move.)
17...Rxa1; 18.Qc5!,
Now Black cannot castle.
18...f6?;
Black was in bad way, but this move is a mistake. (With his King still trapped in the middle of the
chess board, Black was ill-advised to open lines to his leader.)
[ >/= 18...Bd7; 19.Nd4! Qb7; 20.b5 Ra8; 21.Rc1, "/\" ("+/") ]
Now White wins by means of a
direct attack.
19.Nd4! Bd7; 20.exf6! gxf6; 21.Qd6! Qc8;
This may not be the best, although I doubt that it even mattered anymore.
[ >/= 21...Qb7;
22.Nf5!! Bc8;
(22...exf5?;
23.Qxf6!, "+/-")
23.Rc1 Kf7;
24.Rc7+ Qxc7; 25.Qxc7+ Kg6; 26.Ne7+ Kh6;
27.Qc1+ Kg7;
28.h3, "+/-" ]
Now it is White to move and win.
22.Nf5!! exf5?!; (Maybe - '?')
Normally, I do not condemn an error in a lost position, but this is suicide ... according to the
machine, White's advantage nearly triples after this play.
[ >/= 22...Qd8[]; 23.b7!, "--->" ]
23.Qxf6!,
("+/-")
Perhaps Black overlooked this move, and thought of only a Rook check on e1.
Black should quit here, although
in the actual game, he first played 23...Qd8?; (which allows a mate);
and only then did he resign.
A brilliant display of tactics by Grand-Master Alexander Areshchenko!!!
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Puzzle Number # 46; Tuesday / December 19th, 2006.
|
|
White to move.
Position
in Forsythe: (top-to-bottom/left-to-right)
-
5rk1/1Q1Rbp1p/p4q2/P3rp2/BpP1p1P1/8/1PPR1P1P/1K6 w
White:
Kb1,Qb7,Ba4,Rd2,d7,Pa5,b2,c2,c4,f2,g4,h2 / Black:
Kg8,Qf6,Be7,Re5,f8,Pa6,b4,e4,f5,f7,h7.
*************************************************************************
|
White to play - from this position! {Given above} ********************* Black's last move was 30...R/c5-e5. This was less than best, I think that Black should have have tried 30...RxP/a5; aiming for an ending with heavy pieces where his chances were probably better than in the actual game. Now it is White's turn, what is the best way for White to proceed from this position? |
**************************************************************************************
This is all from the game: GM Jaan Ehlvest
(2597) - IM Jay Bonin (2310);
[B00]
90th ch-Marshall CC / New York, USA; (9) /
10,12,2006.
It is White to move in this position.
(See the caption {above} in the colored box, for the hint and introduction.)
31.R2d5!,
The best move, although 31.gxf5!? would have also been good for White.
31...Rd8?;
While Black's motivations for this play are correct, (you should try to exchange to lessen
your opponent's pressure); the move is an error, as the second player has missed a tactic.
Now Black's Queen is an overloaded piece. It has too many jobs, defending d8 and e5, just to mention two.
[ Better was: >/= 31...Rxd5;
although after the continuation of: 32.cxd5 Bc5;
33.gxf5 Qxf5;
34.d6!, ('±') {Diagram?}
Black is barely hanging on. ]
32.g5!,
A nice decoy.
32...Qxg5;
It no longer matter what Black plays.
[ After the inferior: </= 32...Qe6?!;
then White plays: 33.Rxd8+!,
(The quickest win.)
( White also wins after: 33.Rxe7 Qxe7; 34.Qxe7 Rxe7; 35.Rxd8+, "+/-"
as White is a piece up. )
33...Bxd8; 34.Rxd8+ Kg7; 35.Qxb4 Qe7;
36.Qb8, "+/-"
and now White has extra material, and the Black King has
been targeted for extermination. ]
33.Rxe5 Rxd7; 34.Qxd7,
"+/-"
(and) Black quits, he probably has realized that he is (now) down a whole Rook.
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby, 2006. All rights reserved.
1 - 0
Click HERE to return to my Home Page.
Click HERE to go (OR
RETURN) to the FIRST page of Chess Problems.
(Just the problems from the Home Page.)
Click HERE to go to the next page of chess problems.
Click HERE to see the "Archives Page" ... that has the problems ... AND the diagrams.
***********************************************************************************************************
This page was created in December, 2004. It was first posted {here} on Fri; Dec. 30th, 2005. This page was last updated on: July 14, 2012 02:16 AM .
Copyright (c) A.J. Goldsby I
Copyright
(©) A.J. Goldsby, 1995 - 2008.
Copyright © A.J. Goldsby, 2009. All
rights reserved.
