Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #199"][Date "2012.05.28"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "rnbqk2r/ppp2ppp/3b4/8/2P1n3/5NP1/PP2PP1P/RNBQKB1R b KQkq - 0 6"]
This is from a game identically played in two separate ocassions 20 years apart: once by correspondence and the second time by a couple of juniors from France. Today it is not so unheard of to follow the play of other players for 20 or more moves, but back then (1930 - 1950) this was something special. Your tasks:
a) Guess all the moves played to reach this position
b) Name the opening
c) Choose one the following options:
1. Black decides to castle quickly, finish the Queenside development and launch an attack
2. Black decides to attack right away
3. Black decides to skip castling to bring more attackers into the game and then attack
Provide the best line you can think of for your choice c1, c2 or c3.
Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #200.
Puzzle #198 solution:
Kotov - Bondarevski, Leningrad 1936. This time the important thing was to observe how few options the White King had and calculate precisely the unique variation leading to mate. Philip:
How should Black get anything in return for the sacrificed Rook? How about playing in such a way every single one of the White moves is forced and the only move?
[Event "Puzzle #198"][Date "2012.05.22"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r1b3k1/pp1n3p/2pbp3/3pNpP1/2PBn2q/1P1NKP2/P1Q1P1B1/R5R1 b - - 0 23"]23...f4+ 24.Nxf4 Qf2+ 25.Kd3 Qxd4+ 26.Kxd4 Bc5+ 27.Kd3 Nxe5#
Correct solutions:
Alex, Philip, Ziyao, Derrick, Daniel - 20 points
Jeffrey - 16 points
Coco, James - 4 points
Justin - 2 points
Leo, Leroy - 1 point
Standings:
Philip - 388 points
Ziyao - 330 points
Jeffrey - 293 points
James - 279 points
Daniel - 270 points
Leo - 265 points
Derrick - 246 points
Alex - 215 points
Leroy - 196 points
Coco - 189 points
Harmony - 187 points
Justin - 119 points
Kevin - 42 points
a) Guess all the moves played to reach this position
b) Name the opening
c) Choose one the following options:
1. Black decides to castle quickly, finish the Queenside development and launch an attack
2. Black decides to attack right away
3. Black decides to skip castling to bring more attackers into the game and then attack
Provide the best line you can think of for your choice c1, c2 or c3.
Total available points for this puzzle is 30. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #200.
Puzzle #198 solution:
Kotov - Bondarevski, Leningrad 1936. This time the important thing was to observe how few options the White King had and calculate precisely the unique variation leading to mate. Philip:
How should Black get anything in return for the sacrificed Rook? How about playing in such a way every single one of the White moves is forced and the only move?
[Event "Puzzle #198"][Date "2012.05.22"][Result "0-1"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r1b3k1/pp1n3p/2pbp3/3pNpP1/2PBn2q/1P1NKP2/P1Q1P1B1/R5R1 b - - 0 23"]23...f4+ 24.Nxf4 Qf2+ 25.Kd3 Qxd4+ 26.Kxd4 Bc5+ 27.Kd3 Nxe5#
Correct solutions:
Alex, Philip, Ziyao, Derrick, Daniel - 20 points
Jeffrey - 16 points
Coco, James - 4 points
Justin - 2 points
Leo, Leroy - 1 point
Standings:
Philip - 388 points
Ziyao - 330 points
Jeffrey - 293 points
James - 279 points
Daniel - 270 points
Leo - 265 points
Derrick - 246 points
Alex - 215 points
Leroy - 196 points
Coco - 189 points
Harmony - 187 points
Justin - 119 points
Kevin - 42 points
Opening blunders (3)