I’ve invented a chess watch. Numbers one to twelve are the first twelve
world champions. Steinitz (1) to Karpov (12) these are the hours markers.
The sixty squares a1 to e8 are the minute markers. So if your watch displays.
It is 12:15 The 12th world champion and 15th square on the chessboard.
11:25 will show as Fischer and h4. 3:35 Capablanca and the c5 square
I have been in contact with Timex, Rolex and ....er...Tipp-ex! to see if they want
to produce it. I’ll soon be richer than Carlsen and able to buy myself a proper watch.
Big Dogg posted a smashing study a few weeks ago in the chess forum. I copied
the position on my pocket set and took it to a Hibs v Manchester Utd testimonial.
Me at halftime.
The study is White to play and win.
I did not get it first time around. I used that h2 pawn for a different reason.
When solving these things one way is to look at what can appear to be at first
glance an insignificant pawn. Why is it there? work out a line play to fir it in.
FEN
3B4/5N1p/5Pr1/5k1p/4n3/5K2/7P/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "3B4/5N1p/5Pr1/5k1p/4n3/5K2/7P/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Nh6+ {Clearing the way for the pawn to reach f7.} 1... Rxh6 2. f7 {How does Black stop the pawn. It can't but there are tricks in there.} 2... Ng5+ 3. Bxg5 Kxg5 {If 4. Qf8=Q than 4...Rf6+ is a draw. Next we see the reason for that h2 pawn.} 4. h4+ {This check takes the trick of the last move away. But there is another try by Black.} 4... Kg6 {Now if 5.f8=Q then that is stalemate.} 5. f8=B {This wins. The Bishop is the right colour for the h-pawn.} 5... Kf5 {We will play on for a few moves to show how easy this win is.} 6. Bxh6 Kg6 7. Bg5 Kf5 8. Bf4 Kg6 9. Ke4 Kf6 10. Bg5+ Kg6 11. Ke5 Kg7 12. Kf5 Kf7 13. Bf6 Kg8 14. Kg5 Kf7 15. Bd4 Kf8 16. Kxh5 Kf7 17. Kh6 Kg8 18. Be5 Kf7 19. Kxh7 {The win is as simple as that.}
I looked at some RHP Bishop and Pawn v Rook endings. Most were drawn but I did find;
stillrocking - Anthony Robert RHP 2020 (White to play)
1.Kxf1 Stalemate was played. 1.Rc3 is checkmate in two.
jaycocamper1955 - jp4995 RHP 2022 (Black to play)
1...Rb2 and 2...Rxc7 is the clean way to draw. But practically any alert move draws.
However Black relaxed and played 1....Rf2 2.Kd8 and the c-pawn cannot be stopped.
This weeks puzzle. You have to find two key moves. (White to play and win.)
The Knight can give itself up by checking on d4 or f4 and taking a pawn. One wins
and one draws. After deciding which pawn to take. What is the other key move to win.
FEN
4K3/4P3/4N3/8/8/3p1p2/4k3/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "4K3/4P3/4N3/8/8/3p1p2/4k3/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Nd4+ {If you play 1.Nf4+ and take the d-pawn the f-pawn allows Black to draw.} 1... Ke3 2. Nxf3 Kxf3 {Now only one move wins. Not 3.Kd7 or 3.Kd8 then 3...d2 and the pawn promotes with check} 3. Kf8 {Only this move wins. 3.Kf7 is a draw.} 3... d2 4. e8=Q {If Black does not promote then it is standard Q v P win.} 4... d1=Q 5. Qh5+ {Skewering the Black Queen. This is why only 3.K8 won.}
I’ll show why the f-pawn or c-pawn draws. I’ll use an RHP game
Farzad Farsee - hvincent RHP 2011
FEN
8/8/1Kp5/2P2p2/4kP2/8/8/8 w - - 0 58
[FEN "8/8/1Kp5/2P2p2/4kP2/8/8/8 w - - 0 58"] 58. Kxc6 Kxf4 59. Kd5 Kg3 60. c6 f4 {White will promote first but because it is an f-pawn this is (or should be) a draw.} 61. c7 f3 62. c8=Q f2 63. Qg8+ Kf3 64. Qf7+ Ke2 65. Qe6+ Kd1 66. Qg4+ Ke1 67. Qe4+ Kf1 {Black can allow the White King one step forward but no more.} 68. Kd4 Kg1 69. Qg4+ Kh2 70. Qf3 Kg1 71. Qg3+ {Kf1 and White can play Ke3 and then it is checkmate in two moves.} 71... Kh1 {Black is threatening to promote. If White takes the pawn it is stalemate.} 72. Qf3+ {White took the pawn on the last move, I'll play on to make sure you get it.} 72... Kg1 73. Qe3 Kg2 74. Qe2 {DO NOT play Kh1 here. Because White checks on f1 and then takes the pawn.} 74... Kg1 75. Qe3 Kh1 76. Qf3+ Kg1 77. Qg3+ Kh1 {etc...}
White now plays 7.Nc3 Read on.
Sometimes you see game that makes an impression on you. Such was the case here.
I first saw this game in the early 80’s and by chance rediscovered it a few days ago.
The opening idea involves a theoretical piece sac I had never seen before and after
an hour or so analysis I liked what I was seeing and include it in my bag of trick shots.
I used it OTB and tried it on RHP but nobody here has gone for the piece sac line.
This position crops up in the game. White to play. What was played?
J. Ferrer - G. Gunther, Lugano 1981
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 f5 {The Schliemann defence to the Lopez.} 4. d4 fxe4 5. Nxe5 Nxe5 6. dxe5 c6 7. Nc3 {A sacrifice known to theory and seen only in a handful of times on RHP.} 7... cxb5 8. Nxe4 {I have had this position a few times OTB.} 8... d5 9. exd6 Nf6 10. Qd4 Be7 {Taking advantage of the undefended White Queen.} 11. Bg5 Bf5 12. O-O-O {White’s lead in development is just about worth a piece. But it is not winning.} 12... Bxe4 13. Rhe1 {White has every piece in action and a safe King.} 13... Qb6 {Giving the piece back with 13...Qxd6 appears to be the safest move.} 14. Rxe4 Nxe4 15. Qxe4 {White will win the piece back but be the exchange down.} 15... O-O-O {The rest of this game will revolve around the pawn about to appear on e7.} 16. Qg4+ Kb8 17. dxe7 Rc8 {White now plays an instructive and inspiring combination to win this game.} 18. Rd8 Qc6 {Threatening mate on c2.} 19. Bf4+ {Pushing the Black King into a mating net.} 19... Ka8 {And now the move that had me going 'Wow!'} 20. Qxc8+ Qxc8 {This looks wrong. Has White blundered?} 21. Bc7 {The threats is 22.Rxc8+ Rxc8 23.Bd8 and the e7 pawn promotes. Black resigned.}
