White to play and win, lose or draw?
Evaluate 1 Rg7
D Morschel v D Friedgood 1966
Solution
This problem is both easy and hard.
The hard element, to me at least, is looking forward far enough to see 'is there a win'.
There are two easy elements:
I) white's position is loose, and if black has a move or two to shore up his defences, such as Bf6 (which also attacks the key Pd4), then it will soon be 0-1;
2) it is easy to see that there is at least a draw.
So, 1 Rg7+ Kg7[] 2 Qh6+ Kg8 (2…Kf7 3 Qg6 mate) 3 Qg6+ and if nothing else, Qh6+ Qg6+ forever.
So, the position below is a stepping stone.
Win or draw?
The first line I looked at was 4 Bh6, with the idea of 4…Rg8 5 Qh5 with the hope of Bf8 mate, or similar. However, 5…Be8 kills the idea, so 4 Bh6 is a blunder, 0-1
The only other move is 4 Bd3, or to show better technique, first insert 4 Qh5+ and 5 Qg6+ to gobble a perhaps important pawn. So, 6 Bd3. My first try for black, 6…Nd4, got me excited for white, since 7 f6! Nf5 8 Bf5 (threatens both Qh7mate and Qg7 mate) forces 8…Qb5+ 9 Bd3[] (9 Ke1?? Qe2mate; 9 Kg1 Rg8 pins and wins) 9…Qd3+[] 10 Qd3[] Bf6 11 Qf3.
This was the limit of my calculating vision, and I couldn't evaluate it in my head properly. In fact, the engine says it is +2, though I suspect the human evaluation is lower: all three results are possible.
A small point on technique: if white stupidly doesn't bother with the free checks picking up the h5 pawn, then in the above position, plus a Ph5, black is closer to equality: Be8 defends.
However, after 4 Bh6, both 4…Ne5! and 4…Rf6 preserve equality.
So, in fact, the position is drawn after 1 Rg7.
A good work out.
Posted with BlogsyWhite to play and win
W Kobese v G Michelakis 2003
Solution
Here, a scan for LPDOs is the key: Black's Qa5 and Rf8 are LPDOs, and examine all biffs shows that Qc5+, were it to be possible, forks the king and rook.
So, 1 Nb5! has to be looked at. If the knight is captured, the Rf8 falls and the queen is into black's position. But if say 1…Qb4, to keep an eye on c5, then 2 Qb6 threatens mate on d8 and a discovered check to pick up the LPDO Qb4.
White to play and win
AN Rubinsztein v KF Kirby 1969/70
Solution
1 Qc4! threatens smothered mate (it also threatens 2 Qg8 mate); and black can't avoid it. For instance 1…Bd7 2 Qg8+ Rg8[] 3 Nf7 mate.
Black to play and win
S Galleid v J Gluckman 1992
Solution
1…Be4+! is a fairly standard exploitation of back rank mate motifs. The Rf1 is forced to protect g1, so the Qf4 is LPDO.
Black to play and win
Black played 1…Bc5, but missed a better move.
J Van den Berg v J Mendel 1984
Solution
A nice puzzle.
It took me a while to see the cute little move 1…Qc7! which gets out of the pin on the d file, whilst still protecting the Pc6 and Be7 and so threatening 2…Bc8! trapping the queen.
Black to play and win
White played the natural 1 Nf5 here, but it was a mistake. Why?
LR Reitstein v FN Barnett 1970
Solution
1 Nf5 Qg5 2 Nh6 is met by 2…Qh5! hitting the LPDO Nh6 and threatening to come in on the white squares (Qf3).
Then 3 Ng8 Qf3+ 4 Kg1[] Nf4! and mates. If 5 Qe4, 5…Nh3 mate.
White to play and win
M Levitt v K Hill 1982
Solution
A bit of an unsatisfactory problem if you had the sight, as I do, of Reitstein's rubric. He says white played 1 Re5 but missed something stronger. It isn't hard to see that that move must be 1 Bg6! but in fact they are equivalent.
They both lead to the same position after best play. 1 Bg6 Rf4 (1..hg 2 Qg6+ is trivial) 2 Bh7+ Kh8 3 Re7! Rf1+ 4 Nf1 reaching this position, when maybe 4…Qd6; or 1 Re7 Rf4 2 Bg6! Rf1+ 3 Nf1 Qd6 4 Bh7+ Kh8 5 Re3( say) is similar.
I'm awful in terms of buying presents for (Jane despairs: what do I want other than something chess or maths related?) but last night, at my retirement dinner from Deloitte, I solved everyone's Christmas what-to-by for mum/dad/brother/grandad/friend/anyone problem, by making some suggestions from the wonderful clients of my firm who were able to join me last night, and of my other retail clients.
Speeches never go to plan, things always go wrong, or at least they do with me. The lectern light bulb didn't work which meant half way through my speech, with the lights in the room dimmed, I couldn't see my notes, which meant:
(i) I should eat more carrots, if that would help my half century old eyes;
(ii) I was ad libbing most of the time, and amongst other omissions and fluffs, I missed one category of Xmas gift suggestions.
So this morning, I thought I would blog with my corrected list.
Just as with the X Factor calling out of eliminations, this list is in no particular order…
Gifts (my admittedly biased list of suggestions of companies I have been privileged to serve)
MandM Direct for clothes;
Timpson to have your party shoes reheeled, or to have some silverware engraved, or for a housename plate;
Max Spielmann for your photo gifts and printing of photos;
Lakeland for kitchen wear, cooking equipment, foil, cling film and all manner of other essentials, table decorations and all manner of gifts and stocking fillers;
Housing Units for furniture, equipment, and all manner of gifts and stocking fillers;
Beaverbrooks for that special person in your life (Including yourself?), and for family and friends;
Lookers if it time to replace your car, whether for new or second hand;
Confetti if she/he says 'yes', or if you are going to someone's wedding;
and last in terms of gifts but not least (and not a client, but owned by a life long friend, Chess and Bridge for (you might think the name gives it away) for chess, bridge, poker, scrabble, go and all manner of other games.
And, if you fancy a Boxing Day or other seasonal flutter, Betfred.com or Betfred on your local high street or sporting venue.
Suggestions
If there is someone who even the above list doesn't cater for, consider giving to others. One piece of advice I have given where appropriate to some of my high net worth families is to overtly do this, overtly in the sense of with the knowledge of the next generation, to infuse the habit of considering others less fortunate. A couple of my client families do this in a structured way, asking children, even teenage years, to choose charities as part of their presents.
There are far more good causes than there is money to go around, and no need for me to give suggestions, but some organisations I have an involvement or in interest in are:
St Ann's Hospice, Greater Manchester's hospice, which from 2015 I will have an active involvement with;
Withington Girls School bursary fund, to give the chance for girls from less privileged backgrounds to go to one of the top schools in the country. Again, I am becoming a trustee of the school.
National Eczema Society, Keswick Mountain Rescue Team, St Rocco's Hospice Warrington are just three of the other charities I choose to donate to, by way of illustration. (Again, in the right cases I typically advise clients to consider categorising their family donations, for instance into thirds, perhaps local/religious/international, or local/personal/religious) as a way of controlling and focussing benefaction.
Finally, gifting to am umbrella charity such as the charities aid foundation is well worth doing. I have used CAF for years: the tax advisor in me dislikes it when time and time again I learn of people who have e.g. responded to appeals or made other donations in not tax advantaged ways. If nothing else, the charities benefit considerably from being able to reclaim basic rate tax.
Black to play and win
White captures on f6: then what?
G Michelakis v CC De Villiers 1988
Solution
As with yesterday's puzzle, a standard motif. 1…Qa2! and if 2 Na2, Nb3 mate.
However, white has a somewhat better defence, 2 Nd4 when 2…Qa1+ 3 Kd2 Qb2+ 4 Ke1 Qc3+.
The game is over.
Stockfish actually prefers (in the sense of -6 compared with -4) 1…ef followed by 2…Qa2! against most responses.
White to play and win
R Van Tonder v S Bhawoodien 2003
Solution
Straightforward, a standard motif: 1 Rh8+! and mates.
allanbeardsworth 