Idea 173 for Improving chess is; Instead of an evaluation bar at the side of the board, why not have a wee face that moves up and down. I am surprised nobody else has thought of this revolutionary idea.
This week’s puzzle is a study by Gurgenidze from 1980. White to play and win.
At first I though this was very easy and had solved it within 30 seconds. The two Rooks chase the Black King away from the e2 pawn then the two Rooks gang up on the e2 pawn. 1-0. (KRR v KR is a standard book win.)
Just avoid making a blunder in positions like this. (White to play)
Do not play 1.Rf2 because 1...e1=Q 2.Rxe1 Rxf2 draws. 1. Rf6-e6 etc is 1-0. However there must be more to it because it won a 2nd. Prize for composition.
Remember when solving these studies part of the task is to find the best defence. Black has a wonderful defensive try and you soon realise why this study won a prize. It is not very easy at all. It is very rewarding to solve and a magnificent piece of work.
Before the solution a couple of RHP disasters with the same theme. KRR v KRP.
lstcyr - Jim Dog Young RHP 2015
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FEN
8/4k3/2R5/8/5K1R/8/4r2p/8 w - - 0 73
PGN
[FEN "8/4k3/2R5/8/5K1R/8/4r2p/8 w - - 0 73"] 73. Rh7+ Kf8 {Now Rc8+ Re8, Rxe8+ and Rhx2 1-0.} 74. Rcc7 {White played this threatening mate on the move. It should still win.} 74... Kg8 {Now Kg3 and Rxh2 is 1-0.} 75. Kg5 Rg2+ 76. Kf6 Rf2+ 77. Ke6 Re2+ {White has to be a bit careful and not stray onto the c-file.} 78. Kd6 Rd2+ {The King has to head back to g3 to win this.} 79. Kc6 {But now it is drawn.} 79... Rc2+ {Kb6 Rxc7 Rxh2 a draw.} 80. Kb7 {Now suddenly White is lost.} 80... Rxc7+ {Kxc7 then Kxh7 and h1=Q.} 81. Rxc7 h1=Q+ {Black went onto win.}
smooth operator - mpoore RHP 2013
White played 1.Rf6? Ra3+ and the a7 Rook was lost. The game was eventually drawn. It was a clear win. RHP players seem reluctant to trade down to simple won endings.
I picked this up a while back from in a 2nd hand shop.
On page 21 it mentions a cute trap that has tripped up a player in an OTB game but not, surprisingly, an RHP player (yet). It also gives the remedy to the trap and, again surprisingly, the refutation, which involves a piece sac, was played by an RHP player.
The Trap Sprung. P. Ursell - J. O'Hanlon Southsea, England.1949
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PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 {Quite rare in OTB games 2...Nf6 being the preferred choice. but seen over 20,000 times on RHP.} 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 {One line can now go 6.Bb4+ c6 7.exf6 cxb5 8.fxg7 Rg8 with equal chances.} 6. exf6 dxc4 7. Qh5 {With the threat of Qxc4 and fxg7 Black's reply looks OK} 7... Bf8 {But....} 8. Qe5+ Be6 9. fxg7 {Black resigned.}
So what is the best 7th move for Black?
Doubleton - lazzaman RHP 2006
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PGN
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Bc5 3. c3 Nf6 4. d4 exd4 5. e5 d5 6. exf6 dxc4 7. Qh5 {Black ignores the threat of Qxc5.} 7... O-O 8. Qxc5 {White might as well take it. All White moves lead to a difficult position.} 8... Re8+ {Black wins their piece back in all lines. 9. Kf1 dxc3 10.Nxc3 Qd3+ 11 Nge2 Rxe2 12.Nxe2 Qd1 mate.} 9. Ne2 d3 10. Be3 dxe2 {Best now looks like 11.Nd2 Qxf6 12.Qxc4 Qg6 and White can try to hang on.} 11. Qxc4 {White is not hanging on in the game.} 11... Qd1 {Checkmate.}
The Gurgenidze study White to play and win.
It is a bit difficult. If you gave up try it from here. White to play and win.
If you solve it from here see the whole solution and how you set it up.
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FEN
8/8/6K1/1r6/3k4/1RR5/4p3/8 w - - 0 1
PGN
[FEN "8/8/6K1/1r6/3k4/1RR5/4p3/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Rd3+ {1...Kc4 2.Rbc3+ Kb4 3.Rc1 Re5 4.Re1 and then 5.Rd2 and 6.Rxe2} 1... Ke4 2. Re3+ {2...Kd4 3.Rd3+ and 4.Rd2.} 2... Kf4 3. Rf3+ Kg4 4. Rg3+ {4...Kf4 5. Rbf3+ Ke4 6.Re3+ Kf4 7.Rgf3+ Kg4 8.Rf2 picks up the e2 pawn.} 4... Kh4 5. Rh3+ Kg4 6. Rbg3+ {Bringing the b3 Rook into action prevents Black from playing Rxb3 defences.} 6... Kf4 7. Re3 {If 7...Rb2 8.Rff3+ Kg4 9.Rf6 and 10.Re6 and the e2 pawn falls.} 7... Rb3 {This is the star defence I wanted you to find. 8. Rxb3 e1=Q is a draw.} 8. Rhf3+ {White stills wins but it requires a bit a skill and a lot of nerve.} 8... Kg4 9. Rxb3 {White lets the e-pawn promote. It is the only way to win.} 9... e1=Q 10. Rfe3 {Beautiful. Black has to give up the Queen for a Rook to avoid Rb4 mate or Re4 mate} 10... Qd2 {There are no checks. This stops 11.Rb4 mate but nothing saves Black (try it and see.)} 11. Re4+ Qf4 {Only move.} 12. Rxf4+ Kxf4 {A simple won ending.}
