Today’s problem is from the August 1979 Chess magazine. I have hundreds (many hundreds) of magazines on my book shelves, and I thought I would dip into them; and thought I would start with going forty years back.
As has been my custom on this blog for a while, I 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 to play
Grunefeld v Lind, Lloyds Bank Open London 1978
Solution
1…b3 2 ab[] Qb8!!
White’s best is 3 gf giving up the exchange: 3…Rh4.
The above is not all: I will add a further puzzle tomorrow on this position.
FEN
3q1rk1/pp1bppbp/3p1np1/8/2rNP2P/2N1BP2/PPPQ2P1/2KR3R w – – 0 14
Today’s problem is from the August 1979 Chess magazine. I have hundreds (many hundreds) of magazines on my book shelves, and I thought I would dip into them; and thought I would start with going forty years back.
As has been my custom on this blog for a while, I 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 to play
Born v Haik, Lloyds Bank Open London 1978
Solution
1..Ba3+!, and White resigned, since if the Bishop is captured, 2…Nd4 forks the Q and B, and White’s position collapses.
FEN
1k6/1p1r1pp1/1nn1p1p1/1Nb1P1B1/2P3P1/PP5P/2Q1B1q1/2K2R2 b – – 0 26
Today’s problem is from the August 1979 Chess magazine. I have hundreds (many hundreds) of magazines on my book shelves, and I thought I would dip into them; and thought I would start with going forty years back.
As has been my custom on this blog for a while, I 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.
White to play
Wicker v Frankin, Lloyds Bank Open London 1978
Solution
1 Qg6 (or 1 Qe3) both win: 1…Qd5+ 2 Ne4.
White’s 1 e7 is still good, but maybe less strong. 1…Qd5+ 2 Nf3 Bg3 3 ef(Q)+ Kf8 4 Kg3
Less strong, thought White is winning easily enough.
FEN
3q1rkr/p5p1/4P1pp/1p1P4/2pP3b/2P3QB/PP1N2K1/R6R w – – 0 26
Today’s puzzle is from the penultimate round of the British Chess Championships. The blog was prepared live during the round, and as is my custom, is posted in arrears.
White to play
Stephen Gordon v Justin Tan. British Championships, Torquay, 3rd August 2019
Solution
1 Nc6! a move which involves a lot of calculation.
Justin played 1…Kf8, but if instead he had played 1…Rc6, which seemingly wins a piece, then 2 bc Qd4 3 Qb8+ Qd8 4 c7! and the pawn promotes.
Importantly, Black doesn’t have a perpetual check, either.
Today’s problem is from the August 1979 Chess magazine. I have hundreds (many hundreds) of magazines on my book shelves, and I thought I would dip into them; and thought I would start with going forty years back.
As has been my custom on this blog for a while, I 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.
White to play
Tatai v Kopec, Lloyds Bank Open London 1978
Solution
1 Bg4! if nothing else improves the bishop. 1..Qg4 2 Qd6 Qe4? 4 Rb8! and wins.
There isn’t a perpetual: 4…Qe1+ 5 Kg2[] Qe4+[] 6 Kf1Qh1+[] 7 Ke2[] Qe4+[] 8 Kd2 and the checks stop.
Black could have defended better: 2…Qd6 3 Qc5! d6!, and White is better, but would you win against Magnus Carlsen? Likely, not.
FEN
2r3k1/1R1p1ppp/3nq3/2p1p3/2P1P3/P4BP1/3Q1P1P/6K1 w – – 0 26
Another recent finish of a 3 minute blitz game on Chess.com
White to play and win
Allan Beardsworth v Sergey Melkozerov, 3-0 blitz, Chess.com, 19th July 2019
Solution
1 Nf6! Bf6[] 2 Be4 and mate can’t be prevented. The first move prevents Black interposing f6-f5.
Today’s puzzle is from the penultimate round of the British Chess Championships. The blog was prepared live during the round, and as is my custom, is posted in arrears.
White to play
Stephen Gordon v Justin Tan. British Championships, Torquay, 3rd August 2019
Solution
The finale of yesterday’s puzzle. After 1..Kf8 in yesterday’s puzzle, Stephen swapped Queens off on d6, to exploit the weakness of Black’s Pb6.
In the diagram position, 1 Rd5! and if 1…ed, then 2 cb, and a b pawn promotes.
Today’s puzzle is from the penultimate round of the British Chess Championships. The blog was prepared live during the round, and as is my custom, is posted in arrears.
White to play
Stephen Gordon v Justin Tan. British Championships, Torquay, 3rd August 2019
Solution
1 Nc6! a move which involves a lot of calculation.
Justin played 1…Kf8, but if instead he had played 1…Rc6, which seemingly wins a piece, then 2 bc Qd4 3 Qb8+ Qd8 4 c7! and the pawn promotes.
Importantly, Black doesn’t have a perpetual check, either.
Today’s puzzle is from the penultimate round of the British Chess Championships. The blog was prepared live during the round, and as is my custom, is posted in arrears.
White to play
Mickey Adams v Richard Pert, British Championships, Torquay, 3rd August 2019
Solution
I watched the end of their game live, and couldn’t see how Mickey would increase the pressure. I was thinking of various ideas, such as ‘Alekhine’s gun’ and shuffling the Q to e1, behind the rooks, but even then wasn’t sure. After just over two minutes, Mickey played 1 Qg5! and all was suddenly clear. Qh4-h8 was threatened, and black’s hold snaps.
It is all over now.
The game is a mini-masterpiece, well worth playing through to see how Mickey accurately and quickly got a dominant position by exploiting Black’s slight weaknesses.
Today’s puzzle is from round 2 of the British Chess Championships. The blog was prepared live during the round, and as is my custom, is posted in arrears.
White to play
Richard Palliser v David Howell, British Championships, Torquay, 28th July 2019
Solution
Richard alas played 1 f4 and his advantage is gone. I wouldn’t know how to win it myself, but 1 Rd3! protects the Pf3 and allows the White king to advance very far forward, to help his pawn forward.
I give today’s puzzle mainly to remind myself, again, to study rook endgames, but also to highlight to my readers the truly fantastic game these two players played. It would have been nice for the underdog to have won, but nevertheless a draw is a equitable result for such a great slog. Please look at the game in the link below or on TWIC etc.
Earlier in the game: a battle royal
Link
Palliser 1/2-1/2 Howell
https://live.followchess.com/#!106th-british-championship-2019/254790080
allanbeardsworth 