february 15 2011

 A few absentees, off to the slopes to try out the powder and no doubt the Mondeuse as well, did not prevent the core group from having a great time for this second and last session of February. 

The next one will be held in 4 weeks, that is to say on March 15th
 
For the appetizer (after all, we were under the protection of Saint-Claude), a superb composition by a very great 
 
1 – White to play and win

5k2/8/8/6R1/8/R3pp2/3p4/K7
W. : Ka1 Rg5a3
B. : Kf8 Pé3f3d2
+                              (3+4)
 
One should not be afraid to play defensive moves without being fooled by optical illusions

A regular on the course wins first prize in an English magazine. How is this possible with the the hereditary enemy? But because the judge was Russian, he doesn't care about the Hundred Years' War, or even Joan of Arc. And he is not just anyone: J. Vladimirov is himself one of the greatest multimove composers in history (the older ones will refer to the "Revue des Echecs" n° 3). He has just honoured our friend Abdel for a very beautiful 9# problem-study: the detractors of the problem (there are some) have no excuse, because mate in 9 is also the only way to win.

A long help, which does not mean boring. The right idea may even escape you for a while. And a 5# helpmate showing strategy... in 5 pieces! Two other fun multi-moves, the first one quite easy. Finally a selfmate 4-moves, a 2nd prize that seems to me better than the first prize.

A firework by the great Gurgenidzé. An astonishing complete circuit of Bishop, from another great composer, but younger.

In a desperate situation, think of stalemate. What do you mean, stalemate? With four white figures and two free pawns? This very recent Polish study is a bit reminiscent of Kazantsev's, which was demolished and never repaired in 50 years... until Pervakov took care of the matter in 2003. There is also a pinned piece and two immobilised pieces.

Today's game shows the weaknesses of a great player, which insiders had discovered more than 15 years before they became public knowledge, during a famous match.

It's time for a well-deserved break (especially for my listeners...): the next session, still God willing, is scheduled in one month, on March 15.
Have a good time.

AV

The second one presents a very nice circuit
 
White to play and win

8/p7/r1p1K2P/7P/p1Pb1B1k/8/B1P3P1/8
W. : Ké6 Bf4a2 Ph6h5ç4ç2g2
B. : Kh4 Ra6 Bd4 Pa7ç6a4
+                              (8+6)
 

Black's threat to play c5 pushes White to play the right move

The third is Polish with a position that seems hopeless for White.

3 – White to play and draw

2B5/2bP2P1/3k4/1r4pr/5n2/p4RK1/P2pN1PN/3n4
W. : Kg3 Rf3 Bç8 Né2h2 Pd7g7a2g2
B. : Kd6 Rb5h5 Bç7 Nf4d1 Pg5a3d2
=                              (9+9)

One rook less but some dangerous pawns.
The threat is clear: Nxe2+ followed by Rh4#
 
 
The Master gratifies us again with a beautiful fight for the game of the day
 
4 - Game of the day
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nc3 Bb4 4 e3 0-0 5 Bd3 c5 6 Nf3 d5 7 0-0 dc
7 … Nc6
8 Bxc4 cd
8 … Nbd7 9 Qe2 b6 10 d5 Bxc3 11 de Ne5 12 ef+ Kh8 13 bc Bg4 is a fairly dynamic variant
9 cd b6 10 Qe2 Bb7 11 Rd1 Bxc3
A wild thing : 11 … Nbd7 12 d5 Bxc3 13 de Bxf3 14 Qxf3 Ne5 15 ef+ Kh8 16 Rxd8 Nxf3+ 17 gf Raxd8 18 bc Rd1+ 19 Kg2 Nd7 20 Bb3 Re1 21 Bb2 Rxa1 22 Bxa1 Nc5 23 Bc4 (23 Bd5 Nd3) b5 24 Bd5 Nd3 25 Kg3 Ne5 26 c4 Nxf7 27 cb with idea a4 a5 b6 a7xb6 a6
12 bc Qc7 13 Bd3 Qxc3
13 … Nd5 14 c4 Nc3 15 Bxh7+ Kh8 (15 … Kxh7 16 Qd3+ Ne4 17 Ng5+) 16 Qd3 Nxe1 17 Ne5 Nd7 18 Nxd7 Nxf2 19 Kxf2 Qxh2 20 Be4 and draw to come
14 Bb2 Qc7
14 … Qb4 15 d5 Bxd5 16 Bxf6 gf 17 Nd4 (and it smell Bxh7+) f5 18 Qe3 Nc6 19 Bxf5
15 d5 !

15 … Bxd5
15 … Nxd5 16 Ng5 Nf4 (16 … g6 17 Nxh7 or 16 … h6 17 Qh5 threatens Qxh6) 17 Bxh7+ Kh8 18 Qg4 f6 19 Nxe6 Nxe6 20 Bg6 Ng5 21 Qh5+ Kg8 22 Rac1 Qe7 23 Rc4 with win and not 23 Rd4 Qe5 24 Rh4 Nh3+ !
16 Bxf6 gf 17 Qe3 ! Kg7 18 Rac1 Nc6 ?!
18 … Qd6 !
19 Be4 ?
19 Nd4 Rfd8 20 Bb5
19 … Qd6 ! 20 Bxd5 ed 21 Rc4 Qd7 ?
21 … Ne7
22 Rh4 Qf5 23 Rxd5 Ne5 24 h3 (a little air, you never know) Rfe8 25 Nd4 Qg6 26 Qf4 Rad8 27 Nf5+ Kh8 28 RxR RxR 29 Qe4 Rc8 ? 30 Kh2 Rc4 31 Qa8+ Qg8 32 Qxa7 RxR 33 NxR Qg5 34 Qa8+ Kg7 35 Qe4 h5 36 Nf5+ Kg6 37 Ne7+ Kh6 38 f4 resigns 
 

A beautiful joust between two great swordsmen
 
The dining part starts very strong with an Isardam Super Andernach
 
 
 5 - h#4 Isardam Super Andernach 2 solutions

8/2r3k1/8/8/8/2r5/1K6/8
W. : Kb2
B. : Kg7 Rç7ç3
h‡4                           (1+3)
Isardam ; opposing pieces of the same kind cannot be observed
SuperAndernach : at each move a piece changes colour (this does not concern Kings)
2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1
 
Not easy to solve
 
A very elegant position to rest for a while
 
6 – h#4 Parrain Circe 2 solutions

8/5N2/4kb2/8/3n4/3P4/3K4/8
W. : Kd2 Nf7 Pd3
B. : Ké6 Bf6 Nd4
h‡4                           (3+3)
Parrain Circe : a captured piece is reborn by making an equipollent move in the next half move from its capturing square
2.1.1.1.1.1.1.1
 There is a chameleon echo in this problem, it is quite aesthetic.

We see some Locusts in the next one
 
7 – hs#3 

1r6/7B/1pKp3q/1P1Rb3/4lp2/p4l1R/1Q4b1/8
W. : Kç6 Qb2 Rd5h3 Bh7 Pb5
B. : Qh6 Rb8 Bé5g2 Pb6d6f4a3 Loé4f3
hs‡3                        (6+10)
Lo=Locust : Grasshopper that swallows the sautoir, which is therefore necessarily an opposing piece
hs helped selfmate : white plays first and black helps him to present a selfmate 1 move on a board
2.1.1.1.1.1
 
A great economy for the next one
 
8 – serial h=24 Exchange Circe with Berolina Pawn

k7/2K5/8/8/8/8/8/5B2
W. : Kç7 BPf1
B. : Ka8
sh=24                        (2+1)
Exchange Circe : after the capture, the captured piece is reborn on the starting square of the capturing piece's move
serial helped stalemate : black plays n moves in a row to help white present them with a stalemate in 1 move
Berolina Pawn : pawn that advances diagonally and captures by advancing on the column
 
9 – h#3 Anti-Andernach Chameleon with twin

7k/3P4/8/8/8/8/4p3/8
W. : Pd7
B. : Kh8 Pe2
h‡3                           (1+2)
b)pd7-->f7
Anti-Andernach : a movement of piece without capture makes it change colour
Chameleon : transformation cycle Q – N – B – R – Q
 
With the twin, we have an AUW
 
And the last one in Mirror Circe
 
10 – h=3 Mirror Circe

2n5/1P4P1/3kB3/8/6K1/1p6/pB2p3/8
W : Kg4 Bé6b2 Pb7g7
B. : Kd6 Nç8 Pb3a2é2
h=3                           (5+5)
Mirror Circe : a captured piece is reborn in the opponent's house according to the same modalities as the "normal" Circe
 
 This report ends, it remains for me to wish you good reading.
The electronic version of the Mestre is below.
 
 Yours sincerely

Le greffier 

Mestre's corrections

The 9th white move is 9 exd4, which is 9 ed for short. But you can rectify this yourself.

In 13...Nd5 it is 16...Nxd1. Same remark.

The master-tabellion has omitted the good defence 30...Re8! (to be followed by ...Re6!) which makes my remark about the "weaknesses of a great player" more understandable.

Enjoy for a month.

AV