8/8/2p2p2/8/7P/8/1k1K4/8 w - - 0 1

And Now, Without Further Ado: Dress Pr0n!

First, a little retro:

Model Biene wearing a summer dress photographed by F.C. Gundlach, Hamburg, 1955 pic.twitter.com/vS0Gx2s6vh

— Lost In History (@HistoryToIearn) May 13, 2017

When I search for "modest bridal dress images", I can usually get good results. Like this:

Click For Embiggened Photo

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Solutions Update

Problem 1 - White To Play

5bk1/p5p1/n2q1pN1/1p2pP1Q/1P1p4/P1rP4/2r3B1/R4RK1 w - - 0 1

Straightforward from here:

1.Bd5+ Qxd5
2.Qh8+ Kf7
3.Qxf8#

All of Black's moves are forced, so the decision tree is nothing but a trunk.

Problem 2 - Black To Play

2kq2r1/p7/2p5/1pR5/1K1P1p2/1PP2R2/P2r4/5Q2 b - - 0 1

Again, forced:

1...Qa5+
2.Kxa5 Rxa2+
3.Kb4 a5#

Problem 3 - White To Play

2bqkb1r/2p1n1pp/p1p5/4p3/4P3/2NQB3/PrP2PPP/R3K2R w KQk - 0 1

1.Qxd8+ Kxd8

Look out, here it comes:

2.O-O-O+!

Whee!

2...Ke8

No other choice.

3.Kxb2

Nom, nom, nom.

White eats rook.

Burp.

Problem 4 - Black To Play

5rkb/ppp1q3/3p2BQ/6P1/3n4/2B4P/bPP1r3/2KR2NR b - - 0 1

In many, if not most, chess combinations and mate problems, the order of the moves is of utmost importance. That is, if the moves aren't carried out in *precisely* the right order, the combination or problem solution will fail. But in this problem, there are two solutions which are actually the same solution with a slightly different move order.

The first one starts out with
1...Qe3+

2.Bd2 Nb3+
3.cxb3 Qxd2+
4.Rxd2 Rf1+
5.Kc2

Or 5.Rd1 followed by 5...Bxb2#

5...Bb1#

1... Nb3+
2.cxb3 Qe3+
3.Bd2 Qxd2+
4.Rxd2 Rf1+
5.Kc2 (again, if 5.Rd1 then 5...Bxb2#)
5...Bb1#

So, pretty much the same thing.

Endgame of the Week

8/8/2p2p2/8/7P/8/1k1K4/8 w - - 0 1

White has a monster passed pawn on h4. So what would happen if just ran it?

1.h5 c5
2.h6 c4
3.h7 c3+
4.Ke1 c2
5.h8=Q c1=Q+ and draw.

So the answer is: not much. The problem is, Black can get counterplay by pushing his own pawn down the 'c' file. So White needs to eliminate this threat.

1. Kd3!

Trying to get to c4. But Black easily counters.

1...Kb3
2. Kd4 Kb4

And now White has the position he wants. Black's King has been maneuvered far enough away from the c1 queening square that he will not be able to get back there in time to protect his queening pawn from capture. White may now push his passer.

3. h5 c5+

White has nothing to fear from this check.

4. Ke3 c4
5. h6 c3
6. h7 c2
7. Kd2!

Aha! And now Black is schlonged. He has to drop his King all the way back to c2 in order to protect his pawn, but he just doesn't have enough time.

7...Kb3
8. h8=Q Kb2
9. Qc8 and wins

White wins the pawn and the game.

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 05:06 PM

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