3q1rk1/p4pp1/2pb3p/3p4/6Pr/1PNQ4/P1PB1PP1/4RRK1 b - - 0 1

Advanced Problem - White To Play (1244)

Bring home the win for White while sidestepping all of the stalemate threats by using this one weird trick.

8/6pp/8/6PP/7P/8/p2K4/k7 w - - 0 1

Dress Pr0n For The 'Ettes:

Today marks the return of my autumn/winter series Unsuitable Sideline Attire in which I spend every Sunday at the side of a rugby pitch wondering how my washing machine will cope. I counter this with entirely unsuitable pitchside frocks, today #1950s Charles James ...@KSUMuseum pic.twitter.com/RamQUE7XS9

— Dr Kate Strasdin (@kateStrasdin) September 1, 2019

#FridayNightFrills 18th Century dress made of 1750's Spitalfield's silk, this Robe a l'Anglaise was constructed in 1780-1785 via @V_and_A pic.twitter.com/SUOlptjwVE

— Kitty Pridden (@18thCent_Kitty) December 4, 2020

Greetings from China - 1

Greetings from China - 2

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Problem Solutions

Beginner Problem - White To Play

2r1k1qr/ppp5/2n1p1pp/1NQ3B1/2p2R2/8/PP3PPP/3R2K1 w k - 0 1

1.Nxc7+ Rxc7
2.Qxc6+ Rxc6
3.Rd8#

Or, if 2...bxc6 then also 3.Rd8#

Intermediate Problem - Black To Play

3q1rk1/p4pp1/2pb3p/3p4/6Pr/1PNQ4/P1PB1PP1/4RRK1 b - - 0 1

1...Bh2+
2.Kh1 Bg3+
3.Kg1 Rh1+
4.Kxh1 Qh4+
5.Kg1 Qh2#

Advanced Problem - To Play

8/6pp/8/6PP/7P/8/p2K4/k7 w - - 0 1

So the feature to notice about this position is that White needs to keep Black's king bottled up on a1 to prevent him from getting a queen, but that opens all sorts of stalemate possibilities. White needs to just keep shuffling his king back and forth until Black's pawns sort of self-destruct and open up the path:

1.Kc1 g6
2.Kc2

Premature is 2.hxg6? h5 3.gxh6 stalemate.

2...h6
3.Kc1

Again, if 3.gxh6? gxh5 4.h7 stalemate

3...gxh5
4.Kc2 hxg5

And now it's time for the pawn race.

5.hxg5 h4
6.g6 h3
7.g7 h2
8.g8=Q h1=Q
9.Qg7#

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 05:25 PM

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