Solitaire Chess / Instruction ABCs of Chess
These problems are all related to key positions in this month’s game. In each case, Black is to move. The answers can be found in Solutions on page 71.
November Exercise: Many opening variations offered in standard texts and online databases wind up in positions with approximate equality, with one side perhaps having a slight edge. As a good practice, when such positions are reached, summarize the advantages one side has (let’s say White). After doing that, shift focus to the Black side. Again, list the positive features of the position, this time from Black’s perspective. This exercise emphasizes that chess constrains us to deal with the hand we’re dealt. That is, even when losing, we must choose an optimal strategy. In that way, playing chess is a bit like practicing law.
danger, but he invites a trade of queens, which White avoids.**
20. Bxb7 20.
… 21. Bd6
Par Score 5 Qxb7
Par Score 5 White has inserted queen and bishop
deep into enemy territory and, given time, will double rooks on the king-file, winning the pinned knight. There’s also the threat of 22. axb6, and Black cannot recapture without dropping his knight (1 bonus point). That prompts the Exchange sacri- fice.
21. …
22. Qxd6 22.
… Rxd6
This eliminates the bishop, but not nec- essarily the pin.**
Par Score 4 Re8
Black secures his knight, which is the
best he can do under the circumstances.** 23. Ra4
Par Score 6 White threatens 24. Rf4+, when 22. ...
Kg8 is met by 25. Qe6+ Kh7 26. Rf7 (1 bonus point). Here the diagonal pin has been abandoned in favor of vertical and horizontal pins.
23. f4.** … g5 The rook must be kept from reaching
Problem I Pin
Problem II Remove Guard
Problem III Driving Off
Problem IV Unpin
Problem V Zwischenschach
Problem VI Simplification
24. Rae4 24. …
Par Score 5
Reshevsky intensifies the pressure on the pinned knight.
bxa5 About the only piece Black can move is
his king. But on 24. ... Kf7, there comes 25. Qe6+ Kf8 26. R1e3, threatening 27. Rf3+. So Black makes a pawn capture.**
25. R1e3 25. … Par Score 5
The threat is 26. Rf3+ Kg8 27. Qe6+ and 28. Rf7. We’ve seen this before.
Qb6 If 25. ... g4, then 26. Rf4+ etc. The text
move, set up by his previous pawn cap- ture, invites a queen trade, which White easily evades.**
26. Rf3+ 26.
… 27. Qd7
Par Score 5 Kg8
Par Score 5 Now both rook and knight are under
fire. And, if 27. ... Qc6, White has 28. Rxe7 or 28. Qxc6 (1 bonus point for each).
27. … 28. Rxe7 Rf8
Black hopes for a trade of rooks, 28. Rxf8+ Bxf8.**
Par Score 6
At last the knight has fallen. The text sacrifices the f3-rook. It hardly makes a difference whether Black accepts it or not.
28.
…
Rxf3 The try 28. ... Qg6 prolongs resistance,
but White wins the ending easily enough after 29. Qe6+ Qxe6 30. Rxf8+ and 31. Rxe6.**
29. Rxg7+ 29.
… Par Score 4 Black resigned. Black gives up rather than be mated
after 29. ... Kh8 30. Rh7+ Kg8 31. Qg7 mate (1 bonus point).
In addition to the On-Line Viewer of the current issue, archival Chess Life PDFs and .pgn files are available on
uschess.org, Chess Life Magazine, Downloadable Files. Issues are archived starting with October 2008.
TOTAL YOUR SCORE TO DETERMINE YOUR APPROXIMATE RATING BELOW:
Total Score Approx. Rating 95+
2400+
81-94 66-80 51-65 36-50 21-35 06-20 0-05
2200-2399 2000-2199 1800-1999 1600-1799 1400-1599 1200-1399 under 1200
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