Today’s problem is from an old edition of the British Chess Magazine
As is my custom, I only say 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 to play
Ljubojevic v Gelfand, Amber blindfold 28/3/1999
Solution
1…Nf2+! and after 2 Kf2[] Ng4+ and 3…Ne3 -+
FEN
rbbqr1k1/pp3ppp/8/1N1pn3/1B2n3/P3PN2/1PQ1BPPP/3RK2R b K – 0 14
Today’s problem is from an old edition of the British Chess Magazine
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play, after Black plays 1…Rd6 here.
Gelfand v Ivanchuk, Sochi 11/8/2008
Solution
1…Bd6
2 Qh5! a lovely move, hitting f7.
2…Bd7 (2…Be6 3 Qg6+ Kh8 4 Qh7 mate).
3 e5! Be8[] 3 Qf3!
3…Rdd8 keeping the defence of the Pd5.
4 Qf5! (4 e6 also wins) Bg7[] 5 Qg4! Bf7[] 6 e6! 1-0.
I presume, in awe, that Boris saw all the combination through to the end.
FEN
r1b2bk1/2R5/pp3r1p/3pQ3/1P2P3/6P1/7P/6K1 b – – 0 29
Today’s problem is from an old edition of the British Chess Magazine
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play
Gelfand v Ivanchuk, Sochi 11/8/2008
Solution
1 Nh6+!
1…gh 2 Qe5: a “slow” move, with a double attack.
and wins: to be looked after further tomorrow.
FEN
r1b2bk1/2R3p1/pp3r1p/3ppN1Q/1P2P3/6P1/7P/6K1 w – – 0 28
Today’s problem is from an old edition of the British Chess Magazine.
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play
Gelfand v Shirov, Istanbul Olympiad 2/11/2000
Solution
1 Nbd6! Nd6[] 2 Nb6!
and White is winning, though (for mere mortals, like me, the game is still to be won).
FEN
rqr3k1/1p1b1n2/p2p1ppb/1NnPp2p/P1N1P3/Q4P2/1P2BBPP/R4RK1 w – – 0 21
Today’s problem is from an old edition of the British Chess Magazine
As is my custom, I only say 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 to play
Adams v Gelfand, Arnhem 29/12/1988
Solution
1…Nb2! and if 2 Kb2 Ba3+!; White instead played 2 Bd3 and Black had won an important pawn, weakening White’s king’s protection.
FEN
r3k2r/2qnbpp1/7p/pp1Pp3/2n3PP/4B3/PPPN1Q2/1K1R1B1R b kq – 0 19
Today’s problem is from an old edition of the British Chess Magazine
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play
Gelfand v Piket, Amber Blindfold Rapidplay 21/3/1999 Monte Carlo
Solution
1 Ne6+! examine all biffs fe[] 2 Rd7! and wins.
After simplification:
FEN
b2q1r2/R2nnpkp/3Np1p1/4P2P/3N4/8/3QBPP1/6K1 w – – 0 32
Today’s problem is from a recent local league match played by Magnus Carlsen.
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play
Magnus Carlsen v Andreas Tryggestsad, 3rd November 2019
Solution
Magnus’s choice is instructive.
I would have taken Black’s last move as a mistake, and happily played 1 Qd5 Qd5[] 2 Ne7+ Kf8 3 Nd5
However, Black then swaps Ns into a rook and pawn ending: 3…Rd8 4 Nc3 Nc3 5 Rc3[] Rd1+ 6 Kg2[] Rb1 7 Ra3[] Rb5
Yes, it is winning, but some care is needed: Pa2 to a7, push pawns forward, create a passer, to force Black’s king out of g7-h7.
Instead, Magnus played the maximal move 1 f3! making Black’s N worse after 1..Ng3 when the combination followed but in a better way. If instead 1…Nf6 then 2 Qc5 with a clamp, and the b5 pawn pushes forward.
Instructive, how the maximum is attained, even when winning.
FEN
r5k1/3qpp1p/2N3p1/1P1p4/3Qn3/pR2P2P/P4PP1/6K1 w – – 0 29
Today’s problem is from the recent local league match Magnus Carlsen played in.
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play
Magnus Carlsen v Andreas Tryggestsad, 3rd November 2019
Solution
I suspect Black, rated 2365, knew he was defeated when Magnus ignored the threat and played 1 Be5!
A move I didn’t understand at first.
The point is a nice example of a standard ‘trick’: 1…Qb5 is met by 2 Rc8+! and White wins a rook, because the Rb8 is overloaded: tied to defending the Qb5 and the Rb8.
Very nice.
Picture from Twitter:
The whole game is nice: in what looks simple, but isn’t, Magnus won a slow game, with no fuss, just little tactics and better strategy.
FEN
rr4k1/1q2ppbp/5np1/1P1p4/3B4/p2QPN2/P4PPP/2R2RK1 w – – 0 20
Today’s problem is from the current European Team Championships.
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play
Shirov v Westerberg, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 2ndNovember 2019
Solution
The end of the game I have been blogging about these last few days.
Bring all pieces to the party: 1 h4! and Black resigned.
Even 1…Kg8 is met by 2 h5! regardless: if the rook moves, say 2…Rge6, then 3 Rc8+ mates since the Qf5 now looks at h7.
FEN
8/2R3pk/r5rp/p4Q2/1P2N3/5PP1/1P2P2P/4KB1q w – – 0 33
Today’s problem is from the current European Team Championships.
As is my custom, I only say 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.
White to play: a position to analyse, how far can you see?
Shirov v Westerberg, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 2ndNovember 2019
Solution
On the off chance (very off chance) I would have seen g3!! in yesterday’s position, I wouldn’t have seen further, with any confidence, than 1 Qd6+ Kf5.
Likely, I would then have rejected the sacrifice, not seeing 2 Qd3+ e4 (2…Ke6 3 0-0-0+-) 3 Qb5+ Kg6 4 Nd6 which is super-strong. Shirov played 3 Nd6+ which is just as good, and transposed after 3…Kg6 4 Qb5.
I guess you have to intuit that Black’s king is so unsafe, and Q out of play, with 0-0-0 to come, that White’s play is over powering?
FEN
r1N4r/pp3ppp/2n1kn2/4p3/1B6/P5P1/1P2PP1P/R2QKB1q w Q – 0 15
allanbeardsworth 