Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #107"][Date "2010.03.05"][Result "1-0"]1.d4 Nf6 2.Nf3 e6 3.Bg5 d5 4.Nbd2 c5 5.e3 Qb6 6.Bxf6 gxf6 7.c4 dxc4 8.Bxc4 cxd4 9.exd4 Bd7 10.O-O Nc6
A game starts with the first move and that is the moment when we should start paying attention too. Most of the times the outcome of a game is decided rigth at the beginning. Grandmasters have paid the price of not paying attention in the opening by losing quick games to their opponents. In a way playing chess is like driving a car: you must pay attention at all times. Let's see a nice example. Replay the opening moves available for this game. Your tasks:
a) Name the opening (5 points)
b) Analyse the position and propose a plan for both sides (10 points)
c) White to move and obtain a winning position (10 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #108.
Puzzle #106 solution:
The source of this puzzle is a real game: Panov - Bondarevski, Tbilisi 1937. As explained in class it is very important in what order you analyse it: start by figuring out what happens when you sacrifice a piece; only after that you should move ahead and analyse the lines when the opponent does not accept the sacrifice. The best answer by far is Karl's. You can see he took the time to look careful and cover all possibilities. I wish more of you will do the same!
a) Analysis
Material: Even
King safety: Black’s King is way safer: all of Black’s pieces are pointing towards the White King.
Position: White still isn’t fully finished developing his pieces, while Black (having an isolated queen pawn, giving opportunities for a good attack)
is fully developed and ready for attack. White, though, seems ready to face this attack, but the question becomes: is he ready enough? The position is almost
even, Black having a tiny advantage here and there.
Plan for White: get all the pieces doing something useful, maintain the position, and attack when the time is ready. There’s not much to it.
Plan for Black: as for Black, he has all his pieces set up, ready for the final blow. That is exactly what Black should do; lead the final assault and claim victory.
b) See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #106"][Date "2010.02.26"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "4rrk1/ppq2ppp/1b2bn2/3p4/2n5/1NPB3P/PP2NPP1/R1BQR1K1 b - - 0 1"]1...Bxh3! 2.gxh3 Rxe2!! 3.Rxe2 (3.Qxe2 Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3+ 5.Kg1 Ng4 6.Bf4 Bxf2+ 7.Qxf2 Nxf2 8.Kxf2 Qxd3 {Black wins}) (3.Bxe2 Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3+ 5.Kg1 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Ne4+ 7.Kg1 Qg3+ 8.Kh1 Nf2#) 3...Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3+ 5.Kg1 Qg3+ 6.Kh1 Qf3+ 7.Kg1 Bxf2+ 8.Rxf2 Qxd1+ {White is either finished, or really low in material. Black wins easily with either of those conditions}
Correct solutions:
Andy Q, Karl - 20 points
Alex, Andy Y, Owen - 18 points
Nathaniel - 12 points
Edwin, Humphrey - 10 points
Jeffrey - 2 points
Edwin - 20 points for puzzle #105
Standings:
Andy Q - 133 points
Andy Y - 131 points
Karl - 127 points
Owen - 124 points
Alex - 108 points
Amir - 103 points
Humphrey - 101 points
Edwin - 98 points
Jeffrey - 78 points
James - 61 points
Nathaniel - 31 points
Rick, Marko - 10 points
a) Name the opening (5 points)
b) Analyse the position and propose a plan for both sides (10 points)
c) White to move and obtain a winning position (10 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 25. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #108.
Puzzle #106 solution:
The source of this puzzle is a real game: Panov - Bondarevski, Tbilisi 1937. As explained in class it is very important in what order you analyse it: start by figuring out what happens when you sacrifice a piece; only after that you should move ahead and analyse the lines when the opponent does not accept the sacrifice. The best answer by far is Karl's. You can see he took the time to look careful and cover all possibilities. I wish more of you will do the same!
a) Analysis
Material: Even
King safety: Black’s King is way safer: all of Black’s pieces are pointing towards the White King.
Position: White still isn’t fully finished developing his pieces, while Black (having an isolated queen pawn, giving opportunities for a good attack)
is fully developed and ready for attack. White, though, seems ready to face this attack, but the question becomes: is he ready enough? The position is almost
even, Black having a tiny advantage here and there.
Plan for White: get all the pieces doing something useful, maintain the position, and attack when the time is ready. There’s not much to it.
Plan for Black: as for Black, he has all his pieces set up, ready for the final blow. That is exactly what Black should do; lead the final assault and claim victory.
b) See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #106"][Date "2010.02.26"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "4rrk1/ppq2ppp/1b2bn2/3p4/2n5/1NPB3P/PP2NPP1/R1BQR1K1 b - - 0 1"]1...Bxh3! 2.gxh3 Rxe2!! 3.Rxe2 (3.Qxe2 Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3+ 5.Kg1 Ng4 6.Bf4 Bxf2+ 7.Qxf2 Nxf2 8.Kxf2 Qxd3 {Black wins}) (3.Bxe2 Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3+ 5.Kg1 Bxf2+ 6.Kxf2 Ne4+ 7.Kg1 Qg3+ 8.Kh1 Nf2#) 3...Qg3+ 4.Kh1 Qxh3+ 5.Kg1 Qg3+ 6.Kh1 Qf3+ 7.Kg1 Bxf2+ 8.Rxf2 Qxd1+ {White is either finished, or really low in material. Black wins easily with either of those conditions}
Correct solutions:
Andy Q, Karl - 20 points
Alex, Andy Y, Owen - 18 points
Nathaniel - 12 points
Edwin, Humphrey - 10 points
Jeffrey - 2 points
Edwin - 20 points for puzzle #105
Standings:
Andy Q - 133 points
Andy Y - 131 points
Karl - 127 points
Owen - 124 points
Alex - 108 points
Amir - 103 points
Humphrey - 101 points
Edwin - 98 points
Jeffrey - 78 points
James - 61 points
Nathaniel - 31 points
Rick, Marko - 10 points
IQP (2)