Puzzle of the week #217

Submitted by eugen on Mon, 02/11/2013 - 19:07

"Tear down the wall!"

Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #217"][Date "2013.02.11"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5n1n/2q2rbk/3p3p/2pPp2P/NpP1PpQ1/1P1N1P2/1B6/6RK w - - 0 1"]
One of the most frustrating moments in chess is when after a long and stressful defence based on a board wide blockade, the opponent comes up with a beautiful and devastating combination to blow it up and win. You feel your entire work and efforts were for nothing. You chose to give up any attack for a solid defence and it was not enough...
On the other side of the board finding the devastating combination feels like winning the World Championship. It is a good feeling to have as often as possible and it comes with practice. Your tasks:
a) Analyse the position and decide who stands better
b) Find the devastating combination allowing White to win the game

Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #218.

Puzzle #216 solution:
Game FM S Beukema - IM A Matnadze, Groningen Chess Festival 2012, Group A.
a) A few good guesses: Classical Sicilian;
b) James:
- this is the end/ close to the end of middle game;
- White is up a pawn;
- Kg8 is blocked and has a blocked exit;
- Ka1 is stuck in the corner;
- both sides control half of the center;
- both Queens are on the opposite sides 7th rank;
- Black has 5 pieces attacking the King while White has two;
- both sides can be back rank mated although Black has a Bishop that could come to rescue his King;
- White's back rank is heavily defended;
- Black has a Rook battery on the c-file.
Black's plan: Checkmate white as soon as possible and avoid trading as he'll lose in the endgame
White's plan: Try to stall the game and possibly trade into endgame where he'll have it won"

c) The answers were:
(I) James: 29... Qxd1 Not really a good idea because: 30.Qxc8+ Rxc8 31.Rxd1 ... and will proceed to endgame
(II) 29... R4c7 Better idea but still will make it into White's favor: 30.Rd8+ Rxd8 31.Qxc7 Qxf1 32.Qxd8+ ... wins tempo and comes back to defend the Bishop

(III) The majority found the correct continuation, but not the correct move order. This is the reason why I am just posting the last moves of
the game without commentary:
[Event "Puzzle #216"][Date "2013.01.28"][Result "0-1"]1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 d6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 Nf6 5.Nc3 Nc6 6.Be2 Nxd4 7.Qxd4 g6 8.g4 Bg7 9.g5 Nh5 10.Qe3 O-O 11.Bd2 Be6 12.O-O-O Rc8 13.f4 d5 14.exd5 Bxd5 15.Nxd5 Qxd5 16.Kb1 Qc6 17.c3 b5 18.f5 b4 19.c4 a5 20.Bc1 a4 21.Bxh5 gxh5 22.Qxe7 Rfe8 23.Qxb4 Qe4+ 24.Ka1 Rxc4 25.Qb5 Rec8 26.f6 Bf8 27.Rhe1 Bb4 28.Rf1 Qe2 29.Qb7 {Solution} a3 30.bxa3 Rxc1+ 31.Rxc1 Bc3+ 32.Rxc3 Qxf1+ 33.Kb2 Qe2+ 34.Kb3 Qd1+ 35.Kb4 Qd4+ 36.Kb5 Qxc3 37.Qd5 Rb8+ 38.Ka4 Qc2+ 39.Ka5 Qc7+ 40.Ka4 Qa7+ 41.Qa5 Qd7+!

Correct solutions:
Leo, James, Richard, Daniel, Derrick - 20 points
Justin - 10 points
Aditya - 3 points

Standings:
Daniel - 55 points
Derrick - 50 points
Richard, James - 45 points
Leo - 35 points
Justin - 33 points
Aditya - 11 points