1k6/5b2/1K6/8/8/8/1R6/8 w - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For The 'Ettes

1940s New York pic.twitter.com/i1mk1SH5cl

— Lost In History (@HistoryToLearn) August 22, 2017

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Problem 1 - White To Play

r3qrk1/pbpn1p1p/1pnp1Bp1/3N3Q/2BbPP2/8/PP3P1P/R5RK w - - 0 1

1.Rxg6+ fxg6

If 1...hxg6 then 2.Qh8#

2.Ne7#

Problem 2 - White To Play

2kr3r/ppp3pp/8/7b/2P2B2/6P1/Pq3P1P/R3QRK1 w - - 0 1

1.Qa5!

This fine moves generates two threats:

a) Qxc7#
b) Qxh5

1...Qb6

To stave off the mating threat.

2.Qxh5 picks off the bishop.

Problem 3 - Black To Play (571)

6r1/5p1k/4qp1P/8/5Q1N/8/5K1P/8 b - - 0 1

1...Rg4!

Puts the question to White: What are you going to do with your queen?

2.Qf5+

Probably best. My chess app suggested another line, which I'll get to in a bit.

2...Qxf5+
3.Nxf5 Rf4+

Black wins the knight and the game. To avoid this, my chess app did not move 2...Qf5+. Instead:

2.Qg3 Rxg3
3.hxg3

And White's material deficit isn't so bad. He's still going to lose, but at least he has a knight.

(1... Qa2+ 2. Kf3 Qb3+ 3. Qe3 Qc4 4. Qe4+ Qxe4+ 5. Kxe4 Rg4+ 6. Kf5
Rxh4)

Problem 4 - White To Play

r2qkbnr/2pb1pp1/p1np3p/1p6/2B1P3/2NP1N2/PPP3PP/R1BQ1RK1 w kq - 0 1

As I've already mentioned, the decision tree for this problem is quite complex, but I never could push it past 6 moves. That is, no matter how Black twists and turns (and in this problem he can do a lot of that), White can force a mate in 6 moves, max.

I'm going to give you the main sequence first, then I'll deal with the major sub-branches.

1.Bxf7+ Kxf7
2.Ne5+ Ke6
3.Qg4+ Kxe5
4.Qf4+ Ke6 (4...Kd4 5.Be3#)
5.Qf5+ Ke7
6.Qf7#

That's quite a chase.

But 1...Kxf7 isn't forced. What if Black decides not to take the bishop?

1...Ke7
2.Nd5+ Kxf7
3.Ne5+ Ke6
4.Qg4+ Kxe5
5.Qf4+ Kd4

If 5...Ke6 then 6.Qf5#

6.Be3#

Another big chase, different route, same result.

At move two, Black could either move his King to e6, d7, or e8. The main brank covers e6. Let's look at the others:

2...Ke7
3.Ng6+ Ke6 or (3...Ke8 4.Rxf8#)
4.Qg4#

-or-

2...Ke8
3.Qh5+ g6 or (3...Ke7 4.Qf7#)
4.Qxg6+ Ke7
5.Qf7#

There may be other branches in the tree I didn't catch. Let me know if you find any forced sequences longer than 6 moves.

Endgame of the week

1k6/5b2/1K6/8/8/8/1R6/8 w - - 0 1

1.Rf2!

Black really can't move the bishop. If he does, White is threatening 2 Rf8#.

1...Be6

1...Be8 is also possible, whereupon 2.Rf8 Kc8 3.Rxe8+ wins

2.Rf8+ Bc8

3.Rh8!

Now Black is in zugzwang. In fact, he only has one legal move:

3...Ka8
4.Rxc8#

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 05:05 PM

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