Cordingley puzzle 110 #chess

Black to play and win

Solution

I messed up this problem. Royally.

At such times, excuses are needed. I chose 1…Ra4, my rationale being that I knew it was a problem, so something special was needed. The Qc2 is LPDO, and if 2 Ra4, there are no harmful checks on a8; and similarly if 2 Qa4, the queen is well out of way. So, then, check 2 Rd3, see that black's attack is enough, look at the solution….and realise that I had been amateurish. To make this 'problem a day with a view to improvement' plan have any chance of success, I should be professional in my approach, including looking at all smites, and following processes such as 'if you find a good move, look for a better one'.

Whilst I saw 1…Nf2+, and knew that after 2 Qf2 e3 there was a double attack on two LPDOs, I lazily didn't bother to analyse how strong black's position was: preferring the fancy. In a game, I think I would have easily looked at 1…Nf2+ and not bothered risking 1…Ra4+.

Playing through this later on Houdini, it is even more galling: there are a dozen better moves than 1…Ra4, though, phew, Houdini confirms that it too is -+: just.

(Houdini after a minute or so of computation: the evaluations go up [more negative] as it is given time to think: if 1…Ra4 is played, and the position continued a few moves after either 2 Ra4, 2 Qa4, 2 Rd3, then a few moves in, it flicks to -2).

Note, though, how strong both 1…Rf7 and 1…Rf8 are- bringing more pieces to the party.

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