8/8/6p1/7p/7P/8/pk1K4/2R5 w - - 0 1

Pics From the Women's March Temper Tantrum

A Remedy For Your Schadenboner

Oh Now *This* Makes Sense

Women Are Writing Messages On Pads So You Know They're Serious

"Hands Off My Vagina!"

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Solutions Update

Problem 1 - Black To Play

1k6/pb6/1p6/3q2pp/1p1p1b2/3P2BP/P1R4K/5Q2 b - - 0 1

1... Bxg3+!
2.Kxg3

2.Kg1 fails immediately to 2...Qh1#

2...Qe5+
3.Kf2

If 3.Qf4 then 3...Qxf4#

3...Qe3#

Problem 2 - White To Play

rn1q1b1r/ppp2B2/7p/4Bk2/3Pn1pP/3Qp3/PPP3P1/RN4K1 w - - 0 1

It's a forced mate in 3:

1.Qxe4+ Kxe4
2.Nc3+ Kf5
3.Rf1#

Problem 3 - White To Play

r1b1kbnr/pp1np1p1/1qp1p2p/8/3P4/3B4/PPPB1PPP/RN1QK2R w KQkq - 0 1

White can snag Black's queen.

1.Qh5+ Kd8
2.Ba5 Ngf6

The counterattack doesn't quite work because White will capture the queen with check.

3.Bxb6+ axb6
4.Qf3 and wins.

Problem 4 - Black To Play

4rk1r/pQp2p2/3p4/1Bb2P1p/3n1Bn1/7P/PPP2RP1/RN4K1 b - - 0 15

15...Re1+!
16.Bf1

White can try 16.Rf1 but then 16...Ne2+ 17.Kh1 Rxf1# finishes him off.

16...Ne2+
17.Kh1 Nxf2+
18.Kh2 Ng4+
19.hxg4 hxg4+
20.Bh6+ Rxh6#

Unlike most of the problems I post, the move numbers here don't start out at 1 because the position is one I stole from an actual game.

Endgame of the Week

8/8/6p1/7p/7P/8/pk1K4/2R5 w - - 0 1

Despite his advanced pawn, Black's options are surprisingly limited. For example, advancing the 'g' pawn would be a terrible idea, but White can force him to do it by sac'ing his rook:

1.Ra1! Kxa1

Forced. Now White can box him in, thus setting him up for checkmate.

2.Kc2 g5

That was Black's only legal move.

3.hxg5 h4

And the queen race is on.

4.g6 h3
5.g7 h2
6.g8=Q

White queens first, but Black is right there with him.

6...h1=Q

But

7.Qg7#

Oops.

Hope to see you all next week!
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Note: that cryptic line of letters and numbers you see underneath each board diagram is a representation of the position in what is known as "Forsyth-Edwards Notation", or F.E.N. It's actually readable by humans. Most computer applications nowadays can read FEN, so those of you who may want to study the position, you can copy the line of FEN and paste into your chess app and it should automatically recreate the position on its display board. Or, Windows users can just "triple click" on it and the entire line will be highlighted so you can copy and past it into your chess app.

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So that about wraps it up for this week. Chess thread tips, suggestions, bribes, rumors, threats, and insults may be sent to my yahoo address: OregonMuse little-a-in-a-circle yahoo dott com.

posted by OregonMuse at 05:00 PM

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