Sunday 26 January 2014

Two positions - homework 2

Position 2.1

This position comes from the Ruy Lopez.  If you open with 1.e4 no doubt you have seen it before.

What would you play as White, can you list Black's threats and let me know why your move is good.  Also think of another move for White.


Position 2.2


Its Black to play can you find the winning moves?

There are clues below, but first answers from last week.

Answers from week 1

1.1

Black is trying to hold the pawn.  White should undermine Black's pawns with 4.a4
4... c6 (4...a6?, 5.axb5 and Black's a-pawn is pinned, or 4...bxa4? 5.Bxc4 when White is ahead in development and will win the a-pawn)
5.b3 sees another undermining move.  Another way to play is (5.axb5 cxb5, 6.Nc3 when we see a true Gambit take a look at this position, in fact go further and play some games using this if possible.)
5. ...cxb3, 6.axb5 cxb5, 7.Bxb5 Bd7, 8.Qxb3 When material is equal, but White is better placed.
1.2
The stunning 1.Qxh7 is easy to find when you see that the King is in a corridor, like a back rank mate, because the knight controls g8 and g6. 1...Kxh7, 2.Rh5#
Corridor mates are quite common, or rather tactics that win material to prevent them are!!  If we can build up a number of positions we have seen before this gives us ideas at the board, so queen sacrifices are at least considered.

Clues for week 2
2.1 Did you notice e4 under attack?  White can use a pin to ignore the threat.

2.2 The King and queen are lined up on the e1-a5 diagonal, this is a trigger to look for a skewer.  Look at your checks first.

Saturday 18 January 2014

Two positions - Homework 1

This week the following positions are the players homework.

The following diagram is from the queens gambit accepted.
1.d4 d5, 2.c4 dxc4, 3.e4 b5 Black wants to try and keep his extra pawn can you find the next few moves for White.  See below for clues:-



The next position is a classic.  Its a quick mate can you see the sequence?  Again, see below for clues



Clue Position 1

White should use his own pawns to undermine Black's.  eventually Black will be left with an extra pawn that White will be able to take with Bishop or Queen.

Clue Position 2

Notice that the knight on e7 controls g8 and g6.  With Black's pawn on g6 we have a corridor of death.  All White needs to do is open the h-file and then call check with a rook or queen along the newly opened h-file.

Its going to take a sac!!