Level
5-Queen
Chess Diagram
[Event "Puzzle #70"][Date "2009.05.08"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "7k/8/4K1Rp/6pP/5p1r/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
We saw in the other puzzle what happened to the Black King placed in the corner. His blocked position was masterfully used by White in his plans to win the game. Let's try to sort out another similar situation, but put the Black King under less pressure.
This is another study by Selezniev from 1912. What I like about his puzzles is their sense of real, meaning it is very possible you could encounter such positions in your games. This makes them more valuable and speak volume about Selezniev's chess abilities. Your tasks:
a) Analyse the position to identify the positives and negatives for each side (10 points)
b) White to move and win (10 points)
Deadline for submitting your answers is next Wednesday night!
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #71.
Puzzle #69 solution:
This time I chose Andy Y positives and negatives and combined them with John's solution:
Andy Y
a) Black seems to be winning this. He is up by a pawn and has two advanced passed pawns on his opponent's 3rd rank, separated by one file. The problem is that his King remains in the corner and White's Rook makes escape difficult as it controls the 7th rank. Black's Rook is also extremely passive, relegated to defend his back rank. White has a kingside pawn majority, but his f-pawn is backwards. White must land a decisive blow before Black queens a pawn.
John
b) See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #69"][Date "2009.05.01"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5r1k/R5p1/6Pp/5P1K/7P/1p1p4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]1.f6 Rg8 2.Rf7 Rd8 (2...gxf6 3.Rh7#) (2...Re8 3.Rxg7 Re5+ 4.Kxh6 d2 5.Rd7 {White wins}) (2...b2 3.fxg7+ Rxg7 4.Kxh6 {White wins}) 3.Rxg7 d2 4.Rh7+ Kg8 5.f7+ Kf8 6.Rh8+ Ke7 7.Rxd8 Kxd8 8.f8=Q+ Kd7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qxb3 {White wins}
Correct solutions:
John, Joshua - 19 points
Andy Q, Jeremy, Andy Y - 12 points
Karl, Nathaniel - 10 points
Alex Ge, Rick, Wilson, James - 8 points
Jin-Lang - 10 extra points for puzzle #68
Standings:
John - 387 points
Joshua - 373 points
Andy Qian - 350 points
Andy Yee - 313 points
Karl - 308 points
Jeremy - 287 points
James - 240 points
Mark - 223 points
Wilson - 199 points
Humphrey - 154 points
Marcus - 142 points
Katerina - 113 points
Jacky - 80 points
Nathaniel - 73 points
Alex Ge - 56 points
Ricky - 48 points
Joanne - 47 points
Danny, Owen - 40 points
Jin-Lang - 37 point
Darren - 20 points
This is another study by Selezniev from 1912. What I like about his puzzles is their sense of real, meaning it is very possible you could encounter such positions in your games. This makes them more valuable and speak volume about Selezniev's chess abilities. Your tasks:
a) Analyse the position to identify the positives and negatives for each side (10 points)
b) White to move and win (10 points)
Deadline for submitting your answers is next Wednesday night!
Total available points for this puzzle is 20. The answers will be published next week together with puzzle #71.
Puzzle #69 solution:
This time I chose Andy Y positives and negatives and combined them with John's solution:
Andy Y
a) Black seems to be winning this. He is up by a pawn and has two advanced passed pawns on his opponent's 3rd rank, separated by one file. The problem is that his King remains in the corner and White's Rook makes escape difficult as it controls the 7th rank. Black's Rook is also extremely passive, relegated to defend his back rank. White has a kingside pawn majority, but his f-pawn is backwards. White must land a decisive blow before Black queens a pawn.
John
b) See solution:
[Event "Puzzle #69"][Date "2009.05.01"][Result "1-0"][SetUp "1"][FEN "5r1k/R5p1/6Pp/5P1K/7P/1p1p4/8/8 w - - 0 1"]1.f6 Rg8 2.Rf7 Rd8 (2...gxf6 3.Rh7#) (2...Re8 3.Rxg7 Re5+ 4.Kxh6 d2 5.Rd7 {White wins}) (2...b2 3.fxg7+ Rxg7 4.Kxh6 {White wins}) 3.Rxg7 d2 4.Rh7+ Kg8 5.f7+ Kf8 6.Rh8+ Ke7 7.Rxd8 Kxd8 8.f8=Q+ Kd7 9.Qf7+ Kd6 10.Qxb3 {White wins}
Correct solutions:
John, Joshua - 19 points
Andy Q, Jeremy, Andy Y - 12 points
Karl, Nathaniel - 10 points
Alex Ge, Rick, Wilson, James - 8 points
Jin-Lang - 10 extra points for puzzle #68
Standings:
John - 387 points
Joshua - 373 points
Andy Qian - 350 points
Andy Yee - 313 points
Karl - 308 points
Jeremy - 287 points
James - 240 points
Mark - 223 points
Wilson - 199 points
Humphrey - 154 points
Marcus - 142 points
Katerina - 113 points
Jacky - 80 points
Nathaniel - 73 points
Alex Ge - 56 points
Ricky - 48 points
Joanne - 47 points
Danny, Owen - 40 points
Jin-Lang - 37 point
Darren - 20 points
Rook and passed pawns