Before we have a look at this weeks puzzle play over this one.
jsully - bpermaculture RHP 2022
[FEN "8/5K2/6Pk/7r/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
1. g7 Rf5+ 2. Kg8 {2...Kg6 3.Kh8 Rh5+ Rh7 and Rxg7 is a simple Black win.} 2... Rg5 {But now it is a draw.} 3. Kh8 Rxg7 {Remember that stalemate pattern.}
So aided with the that game try this composition from Yochanan Afek
White to play and draw. The solution is at the bottom of this blog.
We are going to have a look at this because I have found a smashing OTB game.
White sacrifices two Knights, a Bishop and a Rook to deliver a Queen checkmate.
Jonathan Benjamin - Graham Carter, London, 1975
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 {A good alternative than going mainline v the Petrov Defence.} 3... Nxe4 {Best and the most popular reply.} 4. Nc3 {4...Nxc3 5.dxc3 we will look at next.} 4... Nf6 {Playable Black just needs to be a bit more alert than normal for the first few moves.} 5. Nxe5 d5 {Do not be tempted by 6.Nxd5 Nxd5 7.Nxf7 with Qf3+ coming. 7...Qe7+ is good for Black.} 6. Bb3 Be7 {6...Bd6 is more ambitious. Black is too defensive minded.} 7. d4 O-O 8. Bg5 {Threatening Bxf6 and Nxd5.} 8... c6 9. Qd3 {With aggressive 0-0-0 ideas. Now 9...Ng4 forces exchanges and Black should be OK.} 9... Nfd7 {The same idea but the Knight blocks the Queen from holding d5. This matters.} 10. h4 {Inviting a pawn fork. In hindsight Black should try 10...Re8} 10... f6 {Tempting but it unleashes a orgy of sacrifices.} 11. Nxd5 {With Nf6+ double check and Qxh7 mate on the board.} 11... cxd5 12. Bxd5+ Kh8 {Now open the h-file...} 13. Ng6+ hxg6 {Only move.} 14. h5 {Forcing open the h-file.} 14... Qa5+ {There is nothing else. Black plays it out picking up another piece.} 15. c3 Qxd5 16. hxg6+ Kg8 {Get the Queen onto h3 with tempo to deliver the checkmate.} 17. Rh8+ {The 4th sacrifice of a piece.} 17... Kxh8 18. Qh3+ Kg8 19. Qh7 {Checkmate. Wonderful stuff.}
Now look at this RHP game from 2007 the mating ideas are very similar.
ceroceroseix - dragon2195 RHP 2007
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nf6 5. Nxe5 d5 6. Bb3 Bd6 {In the previous game we saw 6...Be7. This move is better.} 7. d4 c6 8. O-O O-O 9. Bg5 Nbd7 10. f4 Qb6 {With Nxe5 taking advantage of the pinned d-pawn ideas.} 11. Kh1 {Which White sidesteps.} 11... Ne8 {Black spots the f6 pawn fork and thinking of the previous game, can White allow it.} 12. Re1 {White encourages f6.} 12... f6 {Blissfully unaware Black walks right into it.} 13. Nxd5 cxd5 {Black might as well take it, only 13...Qxb3 can stop the mate..} 14. Bxd5+ Kh8 15. Ng6+ {The same idea from the previous game.} 15... hxg6 16. Qg4 {Black resigned. They can only delay the checkmate.} 16... Rf7 17. Bxf7 Nf8 (17... Bf8) 18. Qh4+ Nh7 19. Rxe8+ Bf8 20. Rxf8
A look at Black playing 4...Nxc3 instead of 4...Nf6 because a good move is being missed
by RHP players who are being misled by the rule of thumb, ‘Bishops are better than Knights.’
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Nc3 Nxc3 5. dxc3 {The best and only way to hold the e-pawn is 5...f6. The obvious....} 5... d6 {...runs into...} 6. Ng5 Be6 {Now most RHP players are playing 7.Nxe6 and Bxe6 but this way...} 7. Bxe6 fxe6 8. Qf3 {...hitting f7 and b7 this way is much better than 7.Nxe6. One line runs.} 8... Qd7 {This has been played in a few OTB games.} 9. Qxb7 Qc6 {Saves the a8 Rook but loses the King.} 10. Qc8+ Ke7 11. Qxe6+ Kd8 12. Nf7 {Checkmate.}
Witness how a single move from an amateur player in a friendly game played
over a hundred years can bring so much pleasure to thousands of other players.
W. Donisthorpe - Mundell, London, 1892
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 Bg4 5. Be3 f5 6. d5 fxe4 7. Nxe4 Nce7 8. c4 Nf6 9. Nxf6+ gxf6 10. h3 Bd7 11. Nh4 Ng6 12. Bd3 Nxh4 13. Qh5+ Ng6 14. Bxg6+ Ke7 {And here it comes....} 15. Qxe5+ {Magnificent. Black resigned. 15...fxe5 16.Bg5 mate. Or 15...dxe5 16.Bc5 mate.}
The solution to the Yochanan Afek study.
[FEN "6rk/P7/5KP1/6P1/8/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"]
1. g7+ {The first two moves are pretty easy to see.} 1... Kh7 2. g6+ Kh6 {White now has to get their King to h8.} 3. a8=Q Rxa8 4. Kf7 {With the drawing idea 5.g8=Q Rxg8 6.Kxg8 Kxg6.} 4... Ra7+ 5. Kg8 {The star move. White gives up the g7 pawn with a check.} 5... Rxg7+ {Or 5...Kg6 6.Kh8 Rxg7 stalemate.} 6. Kh8 {Black cannot avoid giving stalemate or taking it down to a bare King v King.} 6... Ra7 {Nothing Black can do can prevent stalemate or bare Kings.} 7. g7 {7...Rxg7 stalemate as in the jsully - bpermaculture game.} 7... Ra8+ 8. g8=Q Rxg8+ 9. Kxg8 *
The thread accompanying this blog is
Thread 195494
