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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 playing over the game without seeing the notes. That may be hard, especially with the notes right in front of you. Somehow, don’ t look at them. Then analyze the game yourself, perhaps 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.”
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Problem I Fork
- +- +- + k + +- +- + pzp-- +-vl-sn- + +- + p +- +-- +- + N +- + +- + L + N +-- +- +-zPP + +- +- +-mK-
Problem IV Mating net
- +- +- + k + +- +-wq-zpp- +- +- +- + +- +- +- +-- +-vLp +- + +- + lzP- +-- +- +-mKPzP +- +-wQ- +-
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Problem II Pin / fork
- +- +-trk + +- +- +-zpp- +-wQ-sn- + +- + p +- +-- +- +- +- + +- +- + P +-- +- +-mK- + +- +- +- +-
Problem V Discovery
- +- + q + k + +- +- + rzpp- +- + p +- + +- +-zP- + Q- +- +- +- + +- +- +- +-- +- +- + PzP +- +- + RmK-
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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-
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20. f4 Par Score 5
There was a threat of 20.... Bxe5 21. dxe5 Qxe5, but White’ s last move dealt with it.
20. … Qe7
Once again, Black unpins the c6- knight.**
21. Bb5 Par Score 6
White pins the c6-knight and threatens to win a pawn.
21. … 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 Par Score 4
22. … 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.**
24. Bxd4 Par Score 4 24. … Bxb7
25. Rc7 Par Score 5
White attacks the bishop and pins the knight, in turn setting up his next move. Black has only one reply.
25. … Bc8
26. Bc5 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. … Qd8 Black counterattacks the c7-rook.**
27. Bd6 Par Score 5
This holds the rook in place and threatens 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 Par Score 5
28. … Nb6
Black offers the Exchange to hold the bishop.**
29. Bxe8 Par Score 5
Accept full credit for 29. Rxf7 Kxf7 30. Qh5 + Kg8( or 30.... g6 31. Qxh7 mate) 31. Qxe8 +.
29. … Qxe8
30. Rxf7 Par Score 5
30. … Kxf7
Now on 30.... Qxf7 there follows 31. Rf1( 1 bonus point).**
31. Rf1 + 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 |
2200-2399 |
66-80 |
2000-2199 |
51-65 |
1800-1999 |
36-50 |
1600-1799 |
21-35 |
1400-1599 |
06-20 |
1200-1399 |
0-05 |
under 1200 |
uschess. org Chess Life— July 2012 17