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.
July Exercise: Find a game score that’s been well annotated. Try play- ing over the game without seeing the notes. That may be hard, espe- cially with the notes right in front of you. Somehow, don’t look at them. Then analyze the game yourself, per- haps some of it with eyes closed to help you see more. Once you’re done seeing, go back to the annotated game, comparing your vision with that of the expert. Don’t be surprised if one or both of you missed a few things, or saw some not there. As Paul Gauguin saw it, “I shut my eyes in order to see.”
Problem I Fork
-+-+-+k+ +-+-+pzp- -+-vl-sn-+ +-+p+-+- -+-+N+-+ +-+L+N+- -+-+-zPP+ +-+-+-mK-
Problem IV Mating net
-+-+-+k+ +-+-wq-zpp -+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+- -+-vLp+-+ +-+lzP-+- -+-+-mKPzP +-+-wQ-+-
20. f4 Par Score 5 There was a threat of 20. ... Bxe5 21.
dxe5 Qxe5, but White’s last move dealt with it.
20. …
knight.** 21. Bb5
21. … Par Score 6
White pins the c6-knight and threatens to win a pawn.
Bxe5 By now, Black hasn’t much choice. He
has to remove one of the attackers. Of course, parting with the king-bishop leaves him weak on dark squares, but that’s unavoidable. In a bad position one weakness leads directly to another.**
22. fxe5 22. … Par Score 4 Nd7 Or Black could have tried 22. ... Ne4 23.
Nxe4 dxe4, though this entails accepting another weakness.**
23. Nxb7 Par Score 6
White undermines the defense of the c6-knight. If 23. ... Bxb7, then 24. Bxc6 Bxc6 25. Rxc6. Black is provoked into a crisis.
23. … Nxd4
The knight goes desperado to keep the pawn count even.**
uschess.org Qe7 Once again, Black unpins the c6-
24. Bxd4 24. … 25. Rc7
Problem II Pin/fork
-+-+-trk+ +-+-+-zpp -+-wQ-sn-+ +-+p+-+- -+-+-+-+ +-+-+P+- -+-+-mK-+ +-+-+-+-
Problem V Discovery
-+-+q+k+ +-+-+rzpp -+-+p+-+ +-+-zP-+Q -+-+-+-+ +-+-+-+- -+-+-+PzP +-+-+RmK-
Par Score 4 Bxb7 Par Score 5 White attacks the bishop and pins the
knight, in turn setting up his next move. Black has only one reply.
25. … 26. Bc5
Bc8 Par Score 5 White infiltrates on the dark squares,
made possible by the exchange of Black’s king-bishop. It doesn’t quite win the Exchange.
26. … 27. Bd6 Qd8
Black counterattacks the c7-rook.** Par Score 5
This holds the rook in place and threat-
ens 28. Rec1, with capturing threats at c8 and f8.
27. … Rf7 Black removes one of the threats, but
there’s nothing to be done about the other.**
28. Rec1 28. …
Par Score 5 Nb6
Black offers the Exchange to hold the bishop.**
29. Bxe8 Par Score 5 Chess Life — July 2012 17
Problem III Discovery
k+-+-+-+ zp-+-+-+- -+-+l+q+ +-+n+-+- -+-zpL+-+ +-sN-+-zP- Q+-+-+K+ +-+-+-+-
Problem VI Mating net
-+-+-trk+ +-+-wqrzp- -+-+-+-zp +-+-zp-+- -+-+P+-+ +R+-+-+- -+-+-+RzP +-wQ-+-mK-
Accept full credit for 29. Rxf7 Kxf7 30.
Qh5+ Kg8 (or 30. ... g6 31. Qxh7 mate) 31. Qxe8+.
29. …
30. Rxf7 30. …
31. Rf1+ Par Score 5 Kxf7
Now on 30. ... Qxf7 there follows 31. Rf1 (1 bonus point).**
Par Score 5 Black resigns, in view of 31. ... Kg8
32. Rf8+ Qxf8 33. Bxf8 Kxf8 34. Qf2+, picking off the knight. And if 31. ... Kg6, then 32. Qg4+ Kh6 33. Rf3 (1 bonus point for each line).
31. … Black resigned.
Total your Solitaire Chess 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
. Qxe8
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