[blind-chess] Spoiler Alert Problem WAC056
- From: "Paul Benson" <paul.benson@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 26 Feb 2011 20:07:57 -0000
Hello all,
.
This posting is divided into various parts. You can jump to the headings of the
sections by search/find for **, a pair of asterisks
.
** Positional evaluation of the problem
.
General: This position is still in the opening, so the usual positional
evaluation seems somewhat inappropriate, and as such not all pieces and pawns
will be considered
.
White: Clearly, white has been playing actively with just a queen and bishop,
aiming for a quick knock-out. The e4 pawn is attacked and calculations must be
made, as to wether it can be let go. The b3 bishop is attacking the f7 pawn,
which is normally regarded as a weak point in the black position. The queen is
attacking a knight on e5, and the g7 pawn, and if permitted to capture that
pawn, will create threats in the black camp. The king is in need of some more
piece protection. It is possible for pieces to defend adequately from their
original squares, but this is not the case here
.
Black: The g7 pawn is under attack. There are some systems where that pawn is
willingly given up. This is almost certainly not one of them, if that pawn
goes, there will be some disruption and some problems in achieving harmonious
development. The 3 developed minor pieces, despite all being in black's half of
the board, are actually aggressively placed, attacking a number of squares in
the white position, in particular the bishop attacking the f2 pawn, as well as
the f6 knight hitting the e4 pawn. The e5 knight is attacked by the white
queen, but has a few light square options if moving it appears forced
.
** Hints section, 5 hints
.
Hint 1, to find the key move
.
The e5 knight is attacked by the white queen, so action must be taken about
this, right?
.
Hint 2, to find the key move
.
So, perhaps the e5 knight does not need any attention, and must stay centralised
.
Hint 3, to find the key move
.
Consider the traditionally weakest point in the starting position, for an
immediate and forcing attack
.
Hint 4, to find the key move
.
The white royalty need to be put in touch with each other, quite literally,
with 2 possible arrangements to anticipate
.
Final hint, to find the key move
.
To follow up, 2 different types of forked lightning must strike, according to
the white royal response
.
** Proposed solution to WAC056
.
black can set up white for a couple of Royal knight forks, it all depends how
white chooses to respond to the 1st black forcing move. Either variation can be
considered as the main line solution, as if they were twins
.
Black skewers the white king and queen with, 1. ... Bxf2+. This bishop must be
captured, otherwise the bishop will play 2. ... Bxg3 winning the queen. White
has 2 possible captures, but either will permit black to fork the white king
and queen as follows:
.
First capture, 2. Kxf2 Nxe4+, 3. Ke1, but other king moves are equally futile,
3. ... Nxg3, leaving black winning queen and 2 pawns for bishop and knight, 11
points lost by white for black's 6 points, a pawn counting as 1 point
.
Second capture, 2. Qxf2 Nd3+ 3. Kf1 Nxf2, again 11 white points lost for a
black investment of 6 points, since after, 4. Kxf2 Nxe4+ grabs the e-pawn
.
** Both condensed proposed solutions
.
1. ... Bxf2+ 2. Kxf2 Nxe4+ 3. Ke1 Nxg3
.
1. ... Bxf2+ 2. Qxf2 Nd3+ 3. Kf1 Nxf2 4. Kxf2 Nxe4+
.
** Other tactical variations considered, and rejected
.
Attempting to gang up on f2 with, 1. ... Nxe4, just loses a piece, and all
active play by, 2. Qxe5+, and black must interpose with the queen, 2. ... Qe7,
since anything else leaves the knight on e4 unprotected. White would play, 3.
Qxe7+, and after 3. ... Kxe7 4. Be3 is simplest, black is losing
.
A different way to pressure f2, is to place either knight on g4, which
threatens Bxf2+. So,, 1. ... Neg4, and white is virtually forced to play 2.
Nh3. Both sides must be careful here. The g4 knight blocks the attack against
the g7 pawn, but a pawn f3 push will kick the knight, exposing g7 again. If 2
Nh3 d6, then 3. f3 is a disaster. since 3. ... Nh5 traps the white queen. Of
course, white has 3. Nd2 protecting e4, intending O-O next move. Black has no
tricks now
.
If 1. ... Nfg4, black will get the worst of it. After 2. Nh3 d6, now 3 f4,
kicks the e5 knight away from the centre. White can start to unravel with, 4.
Na3, intending Nc2 and Ne3 to challenge the dangerous g4 knight. Black has no
attack left
.
** Alarm bells
.
1. White has attempted to mount an attack in the opening with just a queen and
bishop. Such strategy should not win by force. Success in playing this way will
be very rare. Instead, playing systems involving quick piece development,
should avoid disasters like in this position
.
2. White placed the queen on the same dark square diagonal as the unmoved king.
This in itself is not automatically wrong, but with a black bishop aiming at
f2, a potential forcing capture must be considered each move
.
3. The black knights were both on dark squares, and as such, are ready to
inflict forks on light squares, should the white royalty find themselves drawn
into a potential knight-fork formation
.
Paul Benson
.
-----Original Message-----
From: R Dinger - Email Address: rrdinger@xxxxxxxxxx
Sent On: 17/02/2011 20:27
Sent To: chess - Email Address: blind-chess@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [blind-chess] Problem WAC056
Good Afternoon Puzzlers,
This problem is from Mario Lang's puzzle web page at
http://delysid.org/chess/epd.cgi
and is reported to be from Fred Reinfield's book "Win At Chess" 1958.
Problem WAC056
Black to move
FEN Problem Setup:
r1bqk2r/
pppp1ppp/
5n2/
2b1n3/
4P3/
1BP3Q1/
PP3PPP/
RNB1K1NR
b - - 0 1
Short Algebraic Problem Setup:
White: Ke1, Qg3, Ra1, Rh1, Bb3, Bc1, Nb1, Ng1, Pa2, Pb2, Pc3, Pe4, Pf2, Pg2, Ph2
Black: Ke8, Qd8, Ra8, Rh8, Bc5, Bc8, Ne5, Nf6, Pa7, Pb7, Pc7, Pd7, Pf7, Pg7,
Ph7
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