Short v Timman, Tilburg October 1991
Today’s puzzle is a change from the normal. Inspired by a tweet by Olimpiu Orcan, on an occasional basis I will post a challenge to see if reader’s can spot the games which had particular moves.
Problem
Which famous game had 23…Qg3!! in it?
Solution
This took me a while: I “knew” it instantly, but couldn’t recall the players’ names, but then remembered Black was Frank Marshall:
Levitsky v Marshall, Breslau 20.7.12
Today’s problem is live blogged whist watching the last round of the Gibraltar Masters. The post is published days in arrears.
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.
White to play
So v Deac, Gibraltar 31/1/119
Solution
Wesley played 1 Rf4 and, at the time of writing, move 47, looks well on the way to victory.
But Alphazero would I suspect go 1 d5 (one of the games of “his” I have seen vs Stockfish has just this motif, d4-d5 to open the diagonal for the black squared bishop) and after 1…ed 2 Bg7!
Then if 2…Kg7 3 Rg4+ and White wins the Black Queen either by 3…Qg6 4 Rg6+ or 3…K-f file 4 Rf4+ (or there might even be better moves like a Q check).
I wonder if we will all ‘up our game’ and learn from Alphazero? My copy of Sadler’s and Regan’s Game Changer book arrived today, and I am looking forward to devouring it.
FEN
1r2r1k1/6p1/1pb1p3/8/2PPqp1R/2B5/5PPQ/5BK1 w – – 0 43
Today’s problem is from the 1972 book “Chess Combination as a Fine Art”, a book based on articles published in the 1950s-1960s by Kurt Richter.
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 to play
Nagy v Rotaru, Rumania 1963
Solution
A hard one, and one I failed on. 1… Rg2+! is the move (I saw it, of course, but didn’t see the follow through). After 2 Rg2[] Rh3:
Black forces the win of the Q by 3 Nh3 Qd4+; and then either the exchange is lost too, or 4 Rgf2 Qd4 0-1.
FEN
6k1/1b3p1p/pp4p1/6r1/3Q1N1q/4r2P/PP3RP1/5RK1 b – – 0 1
Today’s problem is from the 1972 book “Chess Combination as a Fine Art”, a book based on articles published in the 1950s-1960s by Kurt Richter.
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.
White to play
Damjanovic v Hort Kecskemet 23/1/1964
Solution
Whte played 1 Nf2 and eventually won. But 1 Rh7+! would have been more efficient: 1…Rh7 2 Nf6 hits the Q, the R, and threatens 2 Qg6 mate. 1…Kh7 2 Nf6+ wins the Q.
FEN
7R/6rp/3pp2k/1p1qb2P/4NpP1/1P3P2/P1Q3K1/8 w – – 0 37
allanbeardsworth 