6k1/4R1b1/p4rq1/2pP1N2/4n1r1/P4Q2/6PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For the 'Ettes:

Mrs Ernest Guinness was captured in all her finery by Sir Francis Dicksee in 1912 wearing a dress of richest emerald silk. The style is echoed in a surviving garment that is equally dramatic, now in the Alexandre Vassiliev Foundation #1910s #fashionhistory pic.twitter.com/sm4sac8tFq

— Dr Kate Strasdin (@kateStrasdin) April 17, 2019

(click for larger kate)

(Greetings from Sardinia)

(click for larger trumps)

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Solutions Update

Easier Problem - White To Play

6n1/2q2Nkp/4Kpp1/8/7Q/8/3B4/8 w - - 0 1

1. Bh6+ Nxh6
2. Qxf6+

Not 2.Qxh6+ Kg8 3.Nd6 and the attack is basically going nowhere due to White's pieces getting in each other's way.

2...Kf8 (or 2...Kg8 3.Nxh6#)
3.Nxh6+ Ke8 (or 3...Qf7+ 4.Qxf7#)
4.Qh8# 1-0

More Challenging Problem - Black To Play

6k1/4R1b1/p4rq1/2pP1N2/4n1r1/P4Q2/6PP/5RK1 b - - 0 1

I found the best answer in the comments:

34 Harder problem:Black's threat is
1... Rxf5, to deflect the White queen from its defense of the g2 pawn. If 2. Qxf5, then Black can win the enemy queen by 2...Rxf2, 3. Kh1 Rg1+ 4.Rxg1 Qxf5, and remains about a piece ahead after 4...Rxg7. Actually a better line for Black after 2. Qxf5 is Bd4+ 3. Kh1 Ng3+ leading to mate. White can put up a better defense after 1...Rxf5 by 2. Rxg7+, which eliminates the mating pattern initiated by Bd4+.

Posted by: GolfBoy at April 20, 2019 05:50 PM (sZuVX)

So that bird's-eye-view description of the strategy, when fleshed out, looks something like this:

1...Rxf5 2.Rxg7+

Probably the best way to avoid the quick mate: 2.Qxf5 Rxg2+ (2...Bd4+ 3.Kh1 Ng3+ 4.hxg3 Qh6+ 5.Qh5 Qxh5#) 3.Kh1 Nf2+ 4.Rxf2 Rg1#

2...Kxg7
3.Qxf5 Rxg2+
4.Kh1 Nf2+
5.Qxf2 Rxf2
6.Rxf2 c4
7.d6 Qxd6
8.Rg2+ Kf6
9.Rf2+ Ke5
10.Re2+ Kf4
11.Re1 c3 and wins

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 paste 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 05:27 PM

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