Open Side Menu Go to the Top
Register
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** ***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread ***

03-02-2012 , 01:31 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TimM
Yeah I don't see a win:

Spoiler:
1. b6 axb6 2. Ra5 bxa5 3. a7 Ke7 4. a8=Q Re2 5. Qg8 g5 6. Qxh7+ Ke6 7. Qf5+ Kf7 8. Qxa5 Re5

Other 5th moves don't seem to help either.

Spoiler:
Playing it out against the computer, it seems pretty winnable from there.

Black's rook doesn't want to give up the e-file under any circumstances and let your king get out of the little box it is creating.

First, play Qc7+. If the king moves, you have a free tempo. If Re7, then Qc4+ will give you that tempo (either the king moves or the rook blocks and gets pinned). Either way, you can repeat this a few times and get your king to f3. You may even want to play g3 just to tighten things up.

Once you've done that, your plan is to get the black king into a suboptimal position. You want him to give up the e7 and f7 squares.

The best and easiest way seems to be manuever around your queen to h7. Black can't really stop that without giving up the e-file.

Once you do that, it's pretty easy to get black into zugzwang. You put the queen on g6, and black's rook needs to stay on e6 in order to both protect the pawn and keep your king pinned in. Black's best try is probably just to shuffle the king around, but then you play Qf7, meaning that if the rook wants to stay on e6, then black's king has to keep touching it. He'll have to play Kd5, and when he does, you play Qd7+, forcing Ke5 to save the rook. But that gives up the e-file and lets you play Kd3 and black ends up in the mother of all zugzwangs.

Once the king gets gets out of the f-file box, it's a pretty simple matter to march him around until he can help, and black can't hold everything. You either win all the materials or you force him to trade down into a lost king and pawn endgame.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-05-2012 , 08:35 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexAg06
Here are some good tactics problems from recent games. Nearly every different tactical theme is represented.

http://chessbase.com/newsdetail.asp?newsid=7846
Spoiler:
In the first one Rb7 with Nd6 or Ba5 trapping the queen.
In the second one Qf7+. If Kh7 then Bf5+ Kh8 Qg6. If Kh8 then Qg6 and Bf5 looks enough... but maybe there is better.


Spoiler:
For the 3rd one Qg5 looks obvious but winning a piece


Spoiler:
The 4th one looks like it is meant to be Qe1+ and Bf1 fails to Bc5. But Kg2 instead of Bf1 and Bc5 Qf3 looks like good defense for white. So I'm not sure. Bc5 it looks like there's just N2d4 (g7 threats). If Rxd6 then there's always pawn takes.


Spoiler:
For the 5th one I think Nxd5 doesn't just win a pawn, it wins a piece (or the exchange and a pawn)! The test is Bxd5 Ng5 Bxg5 Bxd5! (NOT Rxd5) and now black is screwed. If Qc7 then Rxa8 Bxc1 Raxc1 and black has lost the exchange and a pawn. (NOT Rxd5). If, after Nxd5, Nc6, then Nf6+ wins the Queen for Rook and Knight. If Nxd5 Kh8 the Nf6 threatens h7 and the queen. White is won!!


Spoiler:
In the 6th one, Nxc4 looks good enough

Last edited by jewbinson; 03-05-2012 at 09:03 PM.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-06-2012 , 01:09 AM

fischer vs. tal
white to move
Spoiler:
i'm thinking Bh6
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-21-2012 , 02:38 AM


This position occurred in a game where I was white. My opponent had 7 minutes left, but timed out. I don't know if he disconnected or thought he was beat.

Black to move and he appears to be in zugzag.

I think the line is 62 ... Na8 63. Kxa8 64. Kc7 stalemate.

Is this a standard book position. Thought it was sort of interesting.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-21-2012 , 07:04 AM
1...b4 is the right answer to my previous problem. New one:


***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-21-2012 , 07:11 AM
Someone's been reading the chessbase website?

betgo: your variation is correct and it's an idea that shows up every now and then
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-21-2012 , 07:13 AM
Actually different website.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-21-2012 , 07:14 AM
03-22-2012 , 06:50 AM
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-22-2012 , 08:15 AM
Spoiler:
Black cannot break through on the K-side because white has two squares (e2 and f2) that correspond to g4. But the threat of going there might rule out certain queenside squares for black.
When black's king appears on d7, we must move to b4. b5, a5 and a4 would be too far away from the k-side, and on other squares we lose b6.
If black's king goes to e6, we need to move to c3. Thus we can deduce the following:
e7 corresponds to b3. f5 corresponds to d2. f6 corresponds to c2. f7 corresponds to b2. g6 corresponds to c1. g7 corresponds to b1. e8 to a3/c3, f8 to a2/c2.
and thus g8 to a1 (because on Kf8 we must go to a2 or c2, on Kg7 to b1 and on Kf7 to b2).

Solution: Ka1. Black to move would win by Kf7.

Last edited by Noir_Desir; 03-22-2012 at 08:29 AM.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-22-2012 , 08:49 AM
Spoiler:
here's the ms paint solution to the problem:

***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-22-2012 , 05:43 PM
props for the mspaint I was thinking how applicable this is to practice but I guess it sometime shows up in simpler forms
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 02:19 PM


Was I dumb to play b3 here?

Spoiler:
Slow game vs. strong opponent, which I won hahahaha, but the computer doesn't like it but what does it know?
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 02:44 PM
Seems fine to me. I guess b3 by Black is maybe not a threat right now but having it constantly looming there would suck.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 02:45 PM
Hard to assess accurately after b3. The only thing you can say is that black has slighly more space on the Q-side. Also, in the near future, the b3 pawn will tie white down more than d6 ties black down. If black can exploit this with accurate moves now then black will have chances for a solid advantage. Otherwise it's just drawish
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 02:48 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by smilingbill
Seems fine to me. I guess b3 by Black is maybe not a threat right now but having it constantly looming there would suck.
Yeah, maybe. I was thinking white has Nd2 - b3 instead of b3 but then a black queen on a5 is annoying an white has wasted 3 moves. I guess b3 then Rb1 is solid enough for white.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 03:29 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allen C


Was I dumb to play b3 here?

Spoiler:
Slow game vs. strong opponent, which I won hahahaha, but the computer doesn't like it but what does it know?
I assume you mean you were Black and played 1...b3. I think it is maybe interesting but probably not the best move. Black has a better position strategically, I don't think you need to complicate the play. It makes more sense to me to slowly improve the position, g6, Nc6, a5 - just see what White is doing and go from there. No need to go in for unclear pawn sacrifices.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 04:17 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by John_Douglas
I assume you mean you were Black and played 1...b3. I think it is maybe interesting but probably not the best move. Black has a better position strategically, I don't think you need to complicate the play. It makes more sense to me to slowly improve the position, g6, Nc6, a5 - just see what White is doing and go from there. No need to go in for unclear pawn sacrifices.
Thanks. I thought the flipped board and black dot in the corner were good enough clues that it was Black's move. I guess I should have just said it.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 04:28 PM
you overestimated your crowd
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 04:49 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by smilingbill
you overestimated your crowd
Maybe the first two responders thought it WAS SO dumb to play ...b3 they could only assume I was talking about White. The intended follow up was ...Rb8 then ...Re7 to b7 and hope that meant White couldn't move much.

I guess after J-D's ....g6 White can't do much either. h3, Nh2 - g4 doesn't look very intimidating after Black's knight returns to c6.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 05:00 PM
Interesting idea with ...b3. I'm not the best at positions like this, so I'm just sort of thinking out loud here. Assuming black is able to double rooks on the b-file, it looks like white can leave the bishop on c1 and the rook battery doesn't look like it's doing much. In the mean time white could stir up some central play with an f4 type break with black's rooks on the queenside. I like John_Douglas' idea that white isn't doing much else, so I'd probably lean towards some sort of slower buildup by black.

What does the computer suggest here? Granted, comps usually suck in positions like this one.

How did the game continue/finish?
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 06:59 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by TexAg06
white can leave the bishop on c1 and the rook battery doesn't look like it's doing much
But isn't his a1 rook doing even less?

Quote:
How did the game continue/finish?
http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=61904

I got into my usual time trouble and my opponent, with a half hour left, blundered a couple times trying to blitz me. A few moves later he hung his rook. I doubt I played my pawn sac very well but then his 22.Rc3 was incredibly hard to understand. I think I should've played 18...Bd7 and waited on b3 before ...Nc6. Especially to keep that enemy rook sidelined.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 09:37 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allen C
But isn't his a1 rook doing even less?
Yes, it is. I might be speaking too generally, but it seems to me that having two rooks tied up on the b-file is worse than one rook not doing much on the a-file.



http://www.chessvideos.tv/chess-game...r.php?id=61904

Quote:
I got into my usual time trouble and my opponent, with a half hour left, blundered a couple times trying to blitz me. A few moves later he hung his rook. I doubt I played my pawn sac very well but then his 22.Rc3 was incredibly hard to understand. I think I should've played 18...Bd7 and waited on b3 before ...Nc6. Especially to keep that enemy rook sidelined.
Agree completely on 22.Rc3. Very hard to understand what he thought that would accomplish.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-26-2012 , 10:20 PM
Quote:
Originally Posted by Allen C
"Player N.N. vs. Shredder"
You are Shredder? No wonder you've improved so much since you started.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Allen C
Was I dumb to play b3 here?
To prevent any confusion in the future, you could write black moves with ... in front of them. Then, saying b3 would look like white's move and ...b3 is clearly black's.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote
03-27-2012 , 10:35 AM
Yeah, whoops.

b3 looks like an interesting idea. Not playing b3 leaves black at least equal (slight space advantage). Playing b3 is risky, bt if you calculate deep enough, you might find that you win b3 and a4 and then stick a knight on b4 and d3 might collapse. But those are big "might"s. In a blitz/OTB game I wouldn't risk it.

Edit: I'm really not coinvinced black gets much counterplay. b3 allows Ra3, doubling rooks on the a-file, as well as alowing the white bishop to c3, defending b2. Alternatively, I think if white plays for b3 then he might be able to hold b3 and a4 up like that. The point is that there are too many things for black to calculate, and the chance that all of white's defensive ideas (against white' counterplay) don't work is very small.
***Chess - Instructive Positions Thread *** Quote

      
m