february 28 2012

The hard core, as usual, was there, but a little bare.
Nevertheless, the Master pulled out all the stops with a didouctic pawn endgame.

1 - White to play and win
Sergiy DIDUKH
 
5k2/2p2p2/8/3PK3/8/1P6/3P4/8
W. : Ké5 Pd5b3d2
B. : Kf8 Pç7f7
+ (4+3)

Full of finesse, traps and to conclude, a well-conducted opposition scheme.
To check the anticipations, the Master found a rather old position :
W.: Kf4, pb3 and d2 B.: Ka6, pc5 White to play and win.

We continue with a meticulous study.
2 - White to play and draw
Alexeï SOCHNEV

7N/8/8/3P1P2/P5k1/1K5p/5n2/8
W. : Kb3 Nh8 Pd5f5a4
B. : Kg4 Nf2 Ph3
= (5+3)

A quieter selection? Only one helpmate for Daniel, who has had a lot of drinks in the last few months. Two mats in two, one of which is almost miniature. A strange Babson with a reversal in promotions. Finally two selfmates, one easy from a difficult author, the other (mileage wise but attractive) fully explained.

  
A pawn endgame, with inevitably some unexpected "ZZ", is not to be refused. The final scheme had already been worked out, and other curiosities discovered, 50 years ago. Opposition is good, anti-opposition is better.
  
The best King's move ? The one that approaches the corner. In the endgame this is rare, but we have already seen an example. The idea is to draw with two pawns against Queen and Knight. You will tell me that one is on the 7th rank, so nothing surprising. Except that his King does not support him, since he is at the other side ! Where we notice that the triple action (horizontal, vertical and diagonal) of a Queen is sometimes insufficient...
            
Can you win a world championship only in endgames ? It happened at least in Petrossian-Botvinnik 1963 and Kramnik-Kasparov 2000. But also a candidate match, like this one from 1987... Some players have favourite moves. I thought I was obsessed with the black ...g5! move, but I'm discovering that I'm not the only one, at least to attract this move in the analyses. And even from the white point of view. 
  
See you in a fortnight on March 13. May God keep you. 
Have a good time.
  
AV 

Great art. All the pieces are used and each piece is in the right place.
A miracle or a jewel, as you wish!

Today's game is a rehabilitation of Sokolov with some variations that contradict the Karpovian analyses

3 - Game of the day : Karpov - Sokolov 10th of the match
1 d4 Nf6 2 c4 e6 3 Nf3 b6 4 g3 Ba6 5 b3 Bb4+ 6 Bd2 Be7 7 Nc3  

This position occurred 5 times in the match with White in Karpov's hands each time. Result: 3 wins 2 draws
 7 … 0-0
7 … d5 was played in the other games
8 e4 d5 9 cd Bxf1 10 Kxf1 ed 11 e5 Ne4
11 … Ne8
12 Qe2

Puts the finger on Black's weakness by forcing him to take a quick decision
12 ... f5 is unfortunately not really correct.
12 … Nxd2 is to be dug because it has never been played with 13 … Bb4 to come
12 … Nxc3 13 Bxc3 Qd7 14 Kg2 Nc6
14 … c5 is possible and in the way of black position
15 Rhe1 Nd8 16 Ng1 !

The right square for the knight to play f4. On d2, it would disturb 
16 … c5 17 f4 cd 18 Bxd4 Qf5 19 Rad1 Bb4 20 Rf1 Ne6 21 Qd3 Qxd3 22 Rxd3 Rac8 23 cf3 Rc2 24 Rf2 Rfc8 25 f5

Gradually takes up more space
25 … Nxd4 26 Nxd4 Rxf2+ 27 Kxf2 Rc1 28 g4 Kf8 29 Kf3 Rf1 30 Kg3 Rc1 31 Kf4 h6 32 h4 Ke8 33 Nf3 Rc2 34 a4 Rb2 35 Nd4 Be7
35 ... Rd2
36 h5

36 g5 hg+ 37 hg Rf2+ 38 Nf3 Rb2 39 f6 Bf8 40 Nd2 g6 41 Rxd5 Bb4 42 Nc4 Rxb3 43 e6 fe 44 Rb5 !
36 ... a6 37 Kf3 Bc5 38 Ne2 d4 ?!
38 ... Rb1! 39 Nf4 Rf1+ 40 Kg3 Rg1+ =
39 Nf4 Kd7 40 e6+ Ke8 41 Ke4 a5 42 Rf3  
The sealed move to allow the Karpovian army of seconders to clear the position.
42 ... Rb1 43 Nd5 Rg1?!

43 ... Kf8 ! 44 e7+ Bxe7 45 Kxd4 Rg1 46 Kc4 Rxg4+ 47 Kb5 Bd8 48 Rc3 Rh4 49 Kc6 Rxh5 50 Kd7 Rxf5 51 Nxb6 g5!
44 Kd3 Rxg4 45 f6 !

threatens Nc7+
45 ... Bd6 46 Nxb6 Rg5 47 fg Rxg7 48 Nc4 Bb4 49 ef+ Rxf7 50 Rxf7 Kxf7 51 Ne5+
finely
51 ... Kf6 52 Nc6 Be1 53 Nxd4

Forbids the g5 square to the Black King
53 ... Bb4 54 Nc6 Be1 55 Ke2 Be3 56 Kd3 Be1 57 Kc4 Kg5 58 Nxa5 ! Bxa5 59 b4 Bd8 60 a5 Kxh5 61 Kb5 Bg5 62 a6 Be3 63 Kc6 resigns


A small Feather for the entrance to the restaurant area

4 - h#3 with Equihopper and twin
Chris FEATHER

2BRK3/3E4/3bp3/8/4k3/8/8/8
W. : Ke8 Rd8 Bc8 Ed7
B. : Ké4 Bd6 Pe6
h‡3 (4+3)
b) turn 90° on the right
E=Equihopper Bonder that uses another piece as a centre of symmetry (EQd5, EQf5 and EQc8 are possible)

And finally the Big Guy

 5 -  h#2 Isardam 2 solutions with apparent play
Guy SOBRECASES

8/8/3K2q1/8/6k1/8/8/3Q4
W. : Kd6 Qd1
B. : Kg4 Qg6
h‡2 (2+2)
Isardam : it is illegal to put in reciprocal control two opposite pieces of the same nature (what one sees very clearly on the position!)
apparent play : we remove half a move from the statement which becomes "helpmate 1,5 moves Isardam" (only one solution)

A good reading to all and see you on March 13
You will find, of course, the electronic version of the Mestre below.

Yours sincerely

le greffier 

shaggy greffier

In the "old position", it goes without saying that it is the White King on f4 and the Black King on a6. And the statement: "White wins".
 
Game of the day:
The diagram that seems to illustrate White's 42nd move is actually about Black's 43rd move.
 
Feather :
March of the Equihopper : the master greffier meant to say f1 instead of c8.
Turn 90°, yes, but by grabbing the board and turning to the right. bPe6 thus becomes a bPf4. Obviously, you will have to correct the square colour if you have printed the page and cut out the diagram.
 
Have fun.