2r5/8/8/8/pR1R4/k7/8/1K6 b - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For the 'Ettes

Perfect summer style! Airy floral dress by the beach, circa 1950s. #vintagefashion #SummerStyle #50sfashion https://t.co/wOOvp40TeN pic.twitter.com/uCtE66ZOjt

— Ephemeral Elegance (@drapedinhistory) June 28, 2017

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Solutions Update

Problem 1 - White To Play

2b1rk2/4p1bp/1BQ1P1p1/p4p2/P7/8/4rPPP/3R2K1 w - - 0 1

All forced:

1.Qxe8+ Kxe8
2.Rd8#

Problem 2 - White To Play

4rr2/1b4pp/1k1b4/2pP1p2/2P2Pn1/2B5/2K3PP/R4B1R w - - 0 1

1. Ba5+ Ka7

1...Ka6?? is disastrous because of 2. Bc7#, so Black must lose material.

2. Bc7+ Ba6
3. Bxd6 Rf7
4. Bxc5+ Kb7

White picks up the bishop, but since he was originally down a knight, Black is only ahead now by two pawns.

Problem 3 - Black To Play

7k/1Q5q/2P4p/4p3/5n2/5P2/1Br4R/7K b - - 0 1

1...Rxh2+!

There are two possible responses, each one leading to a mate in 4. The (obvious) first line is where White takes the rook:

2.Kxh2 Qc2+
3.Kg3 Qg2+
4.Kh4 Qh3#

The second, White tries to flee, not capture. But the end result is the same:

2.Kg1 Rg2+
3.Kf1 Qb1+
4.Bc1 Qxc1#

Problem 4 - WhiteTo Play

r5k1/1r3p1p/6pB/p7/4q3/3n4/RP3QPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 1

1.Qf6 Qe3+

This is the only way to stop the mating threat on g7. White must take the queen and so his bishop is no longer there to protect White's queen's move.

2. Bxe3 Rb6

Not 2...Nxc1? 3.Bh6 And Black can't stop the g7 mate.

3. Qxb6 Nxc1
4. Bxc1 and White is up overwhelmingly in material

Endgame of the Week

2r5/8/8/8/pR1R4/k7/8/1K6 b - - 0 1

Looks like it will be lucky for Black if he can escape with a draw. Fortunately, his king is boxed in, so he can create stalemate opportunities:

1...Rb8!
2.Rxb8 and stalemate

White's Rook can't get off of that file. If 2.Rb2? then 2...Rxb2+ 3.Kc1 and the position is even and maybe even a win for Black with his pawn, if White isn't careful. So Black manages to dodge a bullet there.

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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