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: what would you play? what other moves would you consider?
European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 2nd November 2019 (players names given below)
Solution
On purpose, I didn’t say who the players were. Or, in particular, that Alexei Shirov was White, playing against Joanthan Westerberg.
1 g3!!
Fair to say, that move would never, ever, have come into my head.
But once seen, the logic is impelling.
If Black exchanges Qs and then captures on c8, or just captures on c8, then Bh3+ skewers the king and the Rc8. So Black captured on h1 and lost to fire on board.
FEN
r1N4r/pp3ppp/2n1kn2/3qp3/1B6/P7/1P2PPPP/R2QKB1R w KQ – 0 14
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
Adams v Andreikin, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 1st November 2019
Solution
A wonderful victory by Mickey Adams in this match whcih England drew 2-2 with Russia. The game was vintage Mickey, piece play to perfection, nurturing to victory the smallest of edges.
1 Nf6+! picks up a pawn: 1…gf 2 Rc7 regains the N
FEN
2R5/3Nn1pk/4ppp1/1p6/7P/1P3P2/2P1K1P1/r7 w – – 0 37
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.
Black to play
Daniil Dubov v Rasmus Svane, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 31st October 2019
Solution
Black of course played what any human would do (except maybe the elite players?!) 1…Kc6. Komodo immediately switches to mate in 13…which more or less Daniil Dubov found, in this contender for game of the year.
But apparently 1…Qe6 is more or less equal: though that is just from a few minutes of exploration. It seems that White only has Q and R and a phalanx of pawns; with Black able to hold their advance by Rf8; and then Black’s g pawn distracts White’s rook.
The game is well worth studying. Earlier in the game, it looked like AlphaZero style:
FEN
2br4/p1pkq1r1/1p1bB3/6NQ/2pP1P2/P3P1p1/1P6/1K2R3 b – – 0 29
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
Daniil Dubov v Rasmus Svane, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 31st October 2019
Solution
A position for a contender for game of the year. The end of a king hunt. Very apt for bonfire night.
1 Bb3!!! []
The only move to win.
1…Bd7 (1…Kb3 2 Qc2+ and 3 Qa2 mate) 2 Qc1+ and mate by 3 Qc2+ and 4 Qa2.
Sportingly, Black allowed mate.
FEN
2br4/p1p1q1r1/1pQ5/6N1/1bBP1P2/k3P1p1/8/1K2R3 w – – 0 36
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
Gawain Jones v Haik Martirosyan, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 31 October 2019 (variation)
Solution
1 Rd1+ Ke4 (1…Kc4 2 Rc3+ Kc3[] 4 Rc1+ skewers the LPDO Rc7) 2 b6! overloads the Rc7.
FEN
8/1prb3p/7p/pP2p3/P2k4/2b3P1/2R2P1P/2R3K1 w – – 0 28
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
Gawain Jones v Haik Martirosyan, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 31 October 2019
Solution
1 Bd5+!
lovely, and surprising. Examine all biffs
1…Ke6[] 2 Rac2
and the point is that if 2…Kd4 what? Answer tomorrow.
FEN
8/1prb3p/4k2p/pP1pp3/P7/2b2BP1/R4P1P/2R3K1 w – – 0 26
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.
Black to play
Moiseenko v Dubov, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 30th October 2019
Solution
1…Bg4! with a draw by repetition after 2 hg Ng4+ 3 Kf3 Ne5+ etc.
FEN
r1bq1k1r/1p2ppb1/p7/3Pn3/1P4Pp/2NBP2P/P3NKP1/R2Q3R b – – 0 18
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
Gawain Jones v Vladimir Onischuk European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 28th October 2019
Solution
“Bring all pieces to the party”
Gawain added one more piece to the attack by the rook lift 1 Rb4!: better than Rf1, since the rook can swing to g4, hitting the Q whilst defending g2.
Black resigned a few moves later: 1…f5 2 Bf5 Rg8 3 Rg4! Qf7 4 Rg5 Be8 5 h3 Rg8? 6 Be6 1-0.
The whole game is worth playing through, to see the way in which Gawain built his attack.
FEN
r5qk/pp5p/2bp1p2/3p4/7Q/3B4/P1P3PP/1R4K1 w – – 0 26
Today’s problem is from a recent league match.
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
Mike Taylor v Nick Lowe, Stockport v Altrincham, Bramhall, 30th October 2019
Solution
1 Rb7! with the nice point that if 1…Nb7, 2 a7! promotes.
Black played instead 1..Kc8, permitting 2 Re7, the a pawn advanced, and soon the Pc6 fell, 1-0.
The tricky side-step of the N, rather than the automatic capture 2 ab? was a nice point spotted by Mike.
FEN
3k4/R3p3/P1p2rpp/2n5/6P1/7P/5P2/5BK1 w – – 0 1
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: how to defend? What happens after (say) 1 Ra1
Ami v McShane, European Team Championships, Batumi, Georgia, 27th October 2019
Solution
If 1 Ra1, then 1…Be6 is strong, netting a pawn, with a continuing attack. It might objectivrly be best.
But 1…Re6!? 2 de Bc6! might be better.
As Matthew Sadler and Natasha Regan have pointed out in Game Changer, one of the things to be learnt from AlphaZero is the impact of cross-fire: from the rook/queen onto g2 via the g-line, and also on g2 along the long diagonal from the Bc6.
I suspect best for White now is 3 Be4 but after 3…Qe6 the Be4 is pinned to the LPDO Qe2. I prefer Black as a result.
FEN
4r1qk/p2b2rp/1p1pN3/3P4/P1Pp1pnb/3B4/1P1BQ1PP/4RR1K w – – 0 34
allanbeardsworth 