2B5/2P5/8/8/1r6/8/8/k2K4 w - - 0 1

Saturday Dress Pr0n

Here is a screen-shot I grabbed of actress Yvonne Strahovski as "Serena Joy" in the Hulu TV series The Handmaid's Tale. Mrs. Muse helped me add the right amount of light and color to the original picture so the dress can be seen better. In my opinion, it's a bit severe for a formal evening dress, but it is well in keeping with the tenor of the series. Perhaps a string of pearls around her neck would be a nice touch.

Also, Ms. Strahovski actually has a delightful smile, but in this role, she doesn't get many opportunities to show it.

Now here's some old-school beauty:

Click for larger version

Don't know where the first one is from, the the second is a publicity still from the movie Roman Holiday (1953).

I could probably fill up the dress pr0n section every week with shots of Audrey Hepburn. She is truly a classic beauty.

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Solutions Update

Problem 1 - White To Play

r3k3/4bR2/pp2P1p1/2pp2qp/3Pp3/4P1P1/PP1B3P/5QK1 w q - 0 1

1.Rf8+ Bxf8
2.Qf7+ Kd8
3.Qd7#

From Damiano vs. SHC (some hapless cretin), 1512. It probably wasn't from an actual game. More likely, it was a study or a theoretical position he discovered.

Problem 2 - Black To Play

4k3/5p2/p3p1p1/1p2P2r/5P2/P1N5/1Pr2qQP/4R1RK b - - 0 1

1...Rxh2+
2.Qxh2 Qxh2#

That's the first path. Or, White could make the initial capture with his king.

2.Kxh2 Qh4#

And that's the second.

Problem 3 - White To Play

rn1qkb1r/ppp2ppp/3p4/4N3/2B3b1/2P5/PPP2PPP/R1BQ1RK1 b kq - 0 7
After 7.Nxe5

7.Nxe5 Bxd1
8.Bxf7+ Ke7
9.Bg5#

Which is a little reminiscent of Légal's mate

But taking the queen isn't forced. Black could always try to take the knight.

7...dxe5
8.Bxf7+ Ke7

Or if 8...Kxf7, then 9.Qxd8

9.Bg5+ Kxf7
10.Qxd8

And White has won the queen.

Problem 4 - White To Play

rnb3kr/ppp2ppp/1b6/3q4/3pN3/Q4N2/PPP2KPP/R1B1R3 w - - 0 1

1.Nf6+ gxf6
2.Qf8+ Kxf8
3.Bh6+ Kg8
4.Re8#

Endgame of the Week

2B5/2P5/8/8/1r6/8/8/k2K4 w - - 0 1

So, in order to stop 1...Rc4, White has two options, Ba6 or Be6. The latter leads to failure:

1.Be6? Rb1+
2.Kd2 Rc1
3.Kxc1

Forced, otherwise Rxc7 draw. Only now it's stalemate because the bishop on e6 cuts off the Black king's only escape square. White needs to be constantly on the lookout against these sorts of stalemate threats. This line, by the way, is the reason why 1.Be6 is the wrong move.

The correct move is

1. Ba6!

1...Rd4+

Black wants 2.Kc1 Rc4+ 3.Bxc4 (forced) stalemate. Or 2.Ke1 followed by 2...Re4+ etc. perpetual. White can derail that train with:

2.Bd3 Rxd3+
3.Kc2 Rd4

Another stalemate trap. If now 4.c8=Q then Rc4+ 5.Qxc4 stalemate.

So the solution is to underpromote

4.c8=R Ra4

To guard against Ra8#

5.Kb3 and wins

White threatens both Rc1# and Kxa4 and Black cannot defend against both.

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 05:07 PM

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