Daily Chess Puzzle

Today’s problem is from the current Wijk aan Zee tournament

Since the start of 2018, I have decided to adopt the style of only saying which side is to play: and not giving an idea if the move wins or otherwise, unless on occasion I think signposting would be helpful. Instead, the problems are posed with the instruction to decide what you would play, as in a game.

Black played 1…Ba4; should he have?

Vidit v Van Foreest, J   Wijk aan Zee 15/1/2019

Solution

1…Ba4 is… the losing move.  Black had played a long line- I read on twitter that he took 3 minutes for his first 30 moves, which resulted in the pawn down opposite B ending, which no doubt Black assumed was drawn.

Danny King has produced another of his excellent PowerPlay videos on this ending, showing why 1…Bd1! draws, forcing the King to look after the Pe2; and why 1..Ba4? loses.

Danny also shows how the resultant endgame is identical to game 11 of the Carlsen -Caruana World Championship match, in which Fabiano showed he had the knowledge of how to draw the endgame.

A fascinating video; if the link doesn’t work, then search for Danny on YouTube, looking Vidit or Foreest.

FEN

3k4/5pp1/2PBp3/7p/7P/4KPP1/2b1P3/8 b – – 0 36