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.
January Exercise: Select a game between strong players. It should be a game without notes, but one for which you can track down analysis afterward. Play through it one time to get a sense for its flow and its main ideas. Then play through it a second time, this time, creating a kind of narrative to explain what you’ve just reviewed. Unquestionably, not every game has a story to elucidate everything that happens. But by you getting training connecting moves into an overall account, you will begin to think more logically and your planning abilities should improve.
Black hopes for 17. Nxd5 Qxd5, with a counter -
threat.** 17. Qh5
Par Score 5 One doesn’t have to be Rudolf Spielmann to
perceive the mate threat at h7 (though it can’t hurt).
17. … g6 The threat has to be stopped, and that’s what
this move does. Nonetheless, Black’s dark squares on the kingside are now greatly exposed.**
18. Ng4 Par Score 5 OK! Time for a little fun—and a “Spielmannic”
(“Spielmannian”?) sacrifice. Give yourself 1 bonus point if you figured out ahead of time that 18. ... gxh5 allows 19. Nh6 mate.
18. … Black had to bolster his dark squares.** 19. Nxf6+ Par Score 4 With two pieces hanging (the queen and bishop
at b2), White decides to keep control of the situation.
19. … Nxf6 Black could have tried to be cute with 19. ...
Qxf6, but White still keeps the advantage after 20. Bxf6 gxh5 21. Nxh5.
20. Qh6 Par Score 5
Ah yes, let’s not forget the queen was still hanging. But h6 was so inviting, how could we blame White for wanting to occupy it?
20. … Rc8 Bf6
PROBLEM I Discovery
PROBLEM II Fork
PROBLEM III Mating net
PROBLEM IV Mating Net
PROBLEM V Mating Net
PROBLEM VI Mating Net
Who knows? Maybe Black will actually get his knight to c4 yet.**
21. Rad1 Par Score 5
Give yourself 1 bonus point if you played this move with a discovery in mind, say 22. Bxg6.
21. …
more coming.** 22. Rfe1
Qe7 Well, that ends the blatant threat, but there’s Par Score 5 Now both White’s rooks are stationed for
central activity. Black seems to be in big trouble. 22. …
23. Nf5 23. …
... gxf5 is met by 24. Bxf5 f6 25. Bxe6+.** 24. Re5
keeps control of e7. 24. …
does it?** 25. Ne7+
Ne8
This retreat does guard g7, but it opens the diagonal of that mean dark-square bishop.**
Par Score 6 Time for another Spielmann-like sacrifice. Qc5 Give yourself 1 bonus point if you saw that 23. Par Score 5 Take that! Black now must make sure that he Bd5 At least e7 remains under Black’s control, or Par Score 7
Anyway! Black is mated no matter what. If 25. ... Qxe7 (or 25. ... Kh8 26. Rh5+ and mate next),
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
www.uschess.org 45
then 26. Qxh7+!! Kxh7 27. Rh5+ Kg8 28. Rh8 mate (2 bonus points).
25. … Black resigned.
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