8/8/b7/7p/P2P4/3k3B/8/K7 w - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For The 'Ettes

Stepping Out, 1908. Got to love those hats!

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Solutions Update

Problem 1 - Black To Play

3r2k1/5pp1/5n2/2Q5/8/8/4P1P1/5K2 b - - 0 1

Black can fork White's king and queen:

1...Rd1+!
2.Kf2 Ne4+
3.Kf3 Nxc5 and wins

Problem 2 - White To Play

rn3rk1/pp3ppb/2p4p/2Pn1P2/3NN3/4q2P/PP3RB1/R2Q2K1 w - - 0 1

1.Nc2!

Traps the queen

1...Qxf2+

Best to minimize loss. Play might continue:

2.Kxf2 Bxf5
3.Nd6 Be6
4.Bxd5 cxd5
5.Nxb7 Nc6
6.Nd4 and wins

Problem 3 - White To Play

2r2b1r/pN1k2pn/2pP1p2/4Pqnp/2Q5/2P3P1/PP4BP/2KRR3 w - - 0 1

1.Qf7+ Nxf7
2.e6+ Qxe6

If instead Black tries to run for with 2...Ke8 then 3.d7+ Ke7 4.dxc8=N+ Ke8 5.Bxc6#

3.Nc5+ Kd8

Or 3...Ke8 4.d7+ Kd8 5.Nxe6+ Ke7 6.dxc8=N+ Ke8 7.Bxc6#

4.Nxe6+ Kd7
5.Nc5+ Kd8
6.Nb7+ Kd7
7.Bh3+ f5
8.Bxf5#

Problem 4 - White To Play (577)

6k1/5pb1/1p1N3p/p5p1/5q2/Q6P/PPr5/3RR2K w - - 0 1

So, in order to stop Black from delivering mate on h2, White needs to strike early and often, beginning with

1.Re8+! Kh7

The other move, 1...Bf8? leads to mate in short order:

1...Bf8
2.Rxf8+ Kxf8
3.Nf5+ Kg8
4.Qf8+ Kxf8 (or 4.Rd8+ Kh7 5.Rh8+ Kxh8 6.Qf8+ Kh7 7.Qg7#)
5.Rd8#

So, with 1...Kh7, Black avoids mate, but loses material. For example:

2.Qd3+ f5
3.Qxc2 Qf3+
4.Kg1 Qg3+
5.Qg2 f4
6.Qxg3 fxg3
7.Re7 and wins

Endgame of the Week

8/8/b7/7p/P2P4/3k3B/8/K7 w - - 0 1

In this problem, the first move is obvious: save the pawn.

1.d5 Bb7
2.d6 Bc6

Black has now got his bishop where he wants, guarding d7 and a8. But...

3.Bd7!!

A killer move that will give White time to advance his pawn.

4...Bxd7

4.a5 h4

Futile for Black is 4...Bc6 5.a6 h4 6.a7 h3 7.d7 Bxd7 8.a8=Q

5.a6 h3
6.a7 Bc6
7.a8=Q!

Not good is 7.d7? h2 8.d8=Q+ Kc2 and White is in serious trouble, i.e. 9.Qb8 h1=Q+ 10.Ka2 Qd5+ 11.Ka1 Qd4+ 12.Ka2 Qa4#

7...Bxa8
8.d7 Ke3
9.d8=Q Bg2
10.Qf6 and wins

Black's king is cut off from his pawn and rook. White can now bring his king up and trap it on either the edge of the board or against his own pieces, 10...Ke4 11.Kb2 Kd5 12.Qf4 Kc5 13.Kc3 Kd5 14.Qf5+ Kd6 15.Kd4, etc.

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 05:09 PM

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