Today’s problem is from the recent World Blitz and Rapidplay championships in St. Petersburg.
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
Anand v Christiansen, St. Petersburg, blitz 29/1/218
Solution
1 Rc4! to distract the Black Queen from defending e7; 1…Qc4[] 2 Qe7! and since the Re8 is tied to the back rank, White has won a piece.
FEN
4r1k1/p3r1pp/4P3/2q2pQ1/2n2N2/8/6PP/1RR4K w – – 0 36
Today’s problem is a nice one seen recently on Chessbase.
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
Edouard v Zumsande, Bundesliga 25/10/2018
Solution
1 Rf4! (obvious, but the follow up isn’t) 1…Rf4 [] 2 h3! (the point) and White wins a piece.
Black gets the Pd4 after 2…Qg7 but White is winning, partly due to the exposed Black king.
FEN
5rk1/7p/p7/3p4/Pp1Ppbq1/1P2B3/6PP/4QRK1 w – – 0 33
Today’s problem is from the recent British Knockout in London
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
Jones G v McShane L, London 16/12/18
Solution
Watching live, I missed Gawain’s shot, and didn’t even consider it.
I should have: examine all biffs, although even if I had, it might have been too deep for me to see.
1 Bf7+!
Luke played 1…Qf7, and resigned a few moves later. The defence I struggled with, until eventually seeing it, was the alternate capture, 1…Kf7:
Gawain’s idea was 2 Rd6! Qd6[] 3 Ng5+ K moves 4 Ne4.
Forking the Q and R, and note that Black’s queen can’t move to d2 hitting the LPDO Re1, so White nets a good extra pawn, and Black’s king is exposed.
FEN
2b1r1k1/4qp1p/3b2p1/p1rBp3/2P5/Q4N1P/1P3PP1/3RR1K1 w – – 0 25
wKg1,Qa3,Nf3,Bd5,Rd1,e1,Pb2,c4,f2,g2,h3/bKg8,Qe7,Bc8,d6,Rc5,e8,Pa5,e5,f7,g6,h7
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
To start 2019, I will on most days post positions, moves, or games that have given me pleasure during 2018. I will intersperse these with two further items: (i) a pot pourri of puzzles taken from my years of newspaper clippings, printouts and other pieces of paper which I have collated over the years. I have piles of the latter, and made a new year’s resolution to go through them, clearing out those which no longer interest me. I hope to find some gems in these old papers. (I made the same new year’s resolution last year, and the pile has grown, not reduced…)
Solution
See here for the solution.
allanbeardsworth 