Q4nk1/1pq2pp1/3p1B1p/1B1P4/8/2P2b2/P4PrP/4RK2 b - - 0 1

Endgame of the Week (Endgame 32)

It's White to play. Can he do better than just swapping his rook for Black's advanced pawn to achieve a draw?

8/8/8/3K4/4R3/p7/8/1k6 w - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For The 'Ettes

(h/t History in Moments on Twitter)

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Solutions Update

Problem 1 - White To Play

6r1/5pk1/5p2/1p2bP2/1P5R/2q1BBPP/5PK1/r7 w - - 0 1

1.Bh6+!

Black has two options, either one will prompt the same move by White:

Option #1: 1...Kh8 2. Bf8#
Option #2: 1...Kh7 2.Bf8#

Problem 2 - Black To Play

7k/p4q1p/1pb5/2p5/4B2Q/2P1B3/P6P/7K b - - 0 1

1...Qf1+!

Not 1...Bxe4? because 2.Qxe4.

2.Bg1 Qf3+
3.Bxf3 Bxf3#

Sometimes the moves are easily "see-able", but you've got to get them in the right sequence for the plan to succeed.

Problem 3 - White To Play

7k/5qpp/1p1P2n1/2p5/P7/1PQ4P/1B6/7K w - - 0 1

Another game won due to adroit simplification

1.Qxg7+ Qxg7
2.Bxg7+ Kxg7
3.d7

And there's no way Black can stop the pawn from queening.

Problem 4 - Black To Play

Q4nk1/1pq2pp1/3p1B1p/1B1P4/8/2P2b2/P4PrP/4RK2 b - - 0 1

This position is very double-edged. If it were White's move, the game would end quickly with 1.Qxf8+ Kxf8 2.Re8#. But it's Black's move, and he's threatening Rxh2 followed by Rh1#. Of course, he can't play Rxh2 immediately due to White's response Qxf8+, so he's got to seize the initiative some other way.

1...Qc4+
2.Bxc4

And now with the bishop displaced from supporting a rook move to e8, Black can begin his attack.

2...Rxh2

Threatening Rh1 mate. White has no choice but to sacrifice piece after piece.

3.Qxf8+ Kxf8
4.Re8+ Kxe8
5.Ke1

And now White can escape the rook check.

5...Rh1+
6.Kd2 gxf6

...but he loses material. And now Black should win.

Endgame of the Week

It's White to play. Can he do better than just swapping his rook for Black's advanced pawn to achieve a draw?

Hint:

8/8/8/3K4/4R3/p7/8/1k6 w - - 0 1

1.Kc4

The idea behind this move is 1...a2 2.Kb3 and now if 2...a1=Q then 3.Re1#

1...a2

There really isn't another move.

2.Kb3

And now

2...a1=N+!

Which avoids the trap mentioned above. But is it enough?

3.Kc3 Nc2
4.Re2

And now Black needs to move the knight or lose it. But there is only one square for him to move it to.

4...Na3
5.Kb3

Now Black either has to move his king to avoid the immediate 6.Re1# or save the knight. He cannot do both.

Either:

5...Nb5
6.Re1#

Or:

5...Kc1
6.Kxa3 Kd1
7.Rh2 and mate to follow shortly

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 05:11 PM

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