Level
4-Rook
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #41"][Date "2008.10.16"][Result "1/2-1/2"][SetUp "1"][FEN "r7/4k1P1/6KP/8/5P2/8/8/b7 w - - 0 1"]
A very nice endgame position happened in the game Wouter Spoelman - Mark Hebden, 4th European Individual Championship, Liverpool, Sep 2008 (source: Susan Polgar Blog). White (a young promising player) looks completely overwhelmed and has to move against his experienced opponent. Questions:
a) Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? (3 points)
b) How should White proceed to get the best result possible? (5 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 8. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #42.
Puzzle #40 solution:
Will start with the response for the second question, as it gives a valuable clue on how to solve the puzzle. Mark said it the best:
a) See solution
b) In puzzle #39, all moves were checks; this week's puzzle, first you have to set up your attack, then checkmate
I couldn't have said it better. Well done Mark!
[Event "Puzzle #40"][Date "2008.10.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "6K1/8/6k1/8/6N1/6N1/6B1/6B1 w - - 0 1"]1.Bf3 Kg5 2.Be3+ Kh4 3.Bf4 Kh3 4.Nf2+ Kh4 (4...Kh2 5.Ne2#) 5.Nf5#
Correct solutions:
Joshua, Andy Q and Mark - 7 points
John - 6 points
Joanne, Jeremy, Karl, Jacky, Nathaniel and Katerina - 5 points
Darren and Wilson - 1 point
Standings:
John - 41 points
Andy Q - 39 points
Joshua - 36 points
Jeremy - 34 points
Katerina - 30 points
Joanne - 28 points
Karl - 26 points
Nathaniel - 23 point
Mark - 19 point
Wilson - 16 points
Jacky - 15 points
James - 3 points
Darren - 1 point
a) Is this a win, draw, or loss for White? (3 points)
b) How should White proceed to get the best result possible? (5 points)
Total available points for this puzzle is 8. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #42.
Puzzle #40 solution:
Will start with the response for the second question, as it gives a valuable clue on how to solve the puzzle. Mark said it the best:
a) See solution
b) In puzzle #39, all moves were checks; this week's puzzle, first you have to set up your attack, then checkmate
I couldn't have said it better. Well done Mark!
[Event "Puzzle #40"][Date "2008.10.09"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "6K1/8/6k1/8/6N1/6N1/6B1/6B1 w - - 0 1"]1.Bf3 Kg5 2.Be3+ Kh4 3.Bf4 Kh3 4.Nf2+ Kh4 (4...Kh2 5.Ne2#) 5.Nf5#
Correct solutions:
Joshua, Andy Q and Mark - 7 points
John - 6 points
Joanne, Jeremy, Karl, Jacky, Nathaniel and Katerina - 5 points
Darren and Wilson - 1 point
Standings:
John - 41 points
Andy Q - 39 points
Joshua - 36 points
Jeremy - 34 points
Katerina - 30 points
Joanne - 28 points
Karl - 26 points
Nathaniel - 23 point
Mark - 19 point
Wilson - 16 points
Jacky - 15 points
James - 3 points
Darren - 1 point
Pawns power