7R/1k1p4/1qb1p3/5pn1/r5p1/3P4/1Q3PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For The 'Ettes:

For #ChristmasEve here is a dazzling 1910-15 evening dress with cascading fireworks of glass beads and rhinestones wrapped in green velvet. @NewfieldsToday #FashionHistory pic.twitter.com/dRqaNXtvkY

— Lauren Deutsch (@LaurenCDeutsch) December 24, 2019

Greetings From Ukraine

(click to enlarge)

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Problem Solutions

Beginner Problem - Black To Play

4r2k/pp3p2/2b3r1/7N/4n2p/2Pp1B1P/PP3P2/3RRK2 b - - 0 1

Mate in 3:

1...Nd2+
2.Rxd2 Rxe1+
3.Kxe1 Rg1#

Intermediate Problem - White To Play

7r/4Q2p/p4Npk/1p3p2/3n1P2/1P1q2P1/P6P/4R1K1 w - - 0 1

1. Ng8+ Rxg8 (If 1...Kh5 then 2. Qg5#)

2.Qh4+ Kg7
3.Re7+ Kf8
4.Qf6#

Or 3...Kh8 4.Rxh7#

Note 1.Ng4+ fxg4 2.Qh4+ Kg7 3.Re7+ Kf8 4.Qf6+ Kg8 5.Qg7# is also mate, but it's a mate in 5, not 4.

Advanced Problem - White To Play

7R/1k1p4/1qb1p3/5pn1/r5p1/3P4/1Q3PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 1

1. Rb8+ Kxb8
2. Qxb6+ Kc8

This is where it gets tricky:

3.Rc1! Ra8

Moving the rook to a8 is obligatory. Below are several inferior lines that occur when other moves are made:

(3... Ra2 4. Qe3 Ra3 (4... Nf7 5. Rxc6+ dxc6 6. Qxe6+ Kc7 7. Qxa2) 5. Qxg5 Rxd3 6. Rb1 Kc7 7. h4 gxh3 8. Qf4+ d6 9. Qc4 Rd5 10. Qa6 Rb5 11. Rxb5 Bxb5 12. Qxb5 hxg2 13. Kxg2)

(3...Ra3 4. Rxc6+ dxc6 5. Qxc6+ Kd8 6. Qd6+ Ke8 7. Qxa3)

(3...f4 4.Rxc6+ dxc6 5. Qxc6+)

All of these lines are sub-optimal because they allow White to carry out the simplification more quickly.

4.Qe3 Nf7
5.Rxc6+ dxc6
6.Qxe6+ Kb8
7.Qe8+ Kb7
8.Qxf7+ Kb6
9.f3 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 05:48 PM

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