january 14 2014
Big attendance for this second session of the year with the return of Antoni, superbly accompanied.
To begin, here is the warm-up with the resolution of the exercises proposed by the Master last time
1 - white to play and draw
K2kb3/8/2P5/2P5/p7/p2B4/8/8
W. : Ka8 Bd3 Pç6ç5
B. : Kd8 Bé8 Pa4a3
= (4+4)
As the audience did not have a dynamic idea, the position was roughened up in situ.
1.Kb8
threatens c7. On 1.Bc4 Kc7! and Black gains time on Kxc5 to play Kb4
1. ...B×ç6 2.Bç4 Bé4
Threatens Bc2 - b3
3.ç6!
Threatens again c7
3. ... B×ç6 4.Ba2
4. Ka7 Bb5 followed by Kc7 and White does not pass
4. ... Kd7 5.Ka7 Kç7 6.Ka6 Kd6 7.Kb6 Bd7 8.Ka5 Kç5
8. ... Be6 9. Kxa4
9.Bg8 (or 9.Bf7 slight dual) Bç6 10.Ba2
threat was Bd5 11. Kxa4 a2
10. ... Bb5
Shortens the diagonal but still has some space left !
11.Bb3!! Kd4
11. ... Bc4 12. Kxa4 [12. Ba2?? Bb3]
12.Kb4 (xa3)
Beautiful work
Now the position concocted by Kasparyan :
2 - white to play and win
Genrikh M. KASPARYAN
Bulletin of the 30 years jubilee of the USSR Chess Championship 1962
6b1/8/1r3P2/8/8/2Q2K1k/7p/7r
W. : Kf3 Qç3 Pf6
B. : Kh3 Rb6h1 Bg8 Ph2
+ (3+5)
1.f7 Rb3
1. ... Rf6+ ? 2. Ke2+
2.Q×b3 B×f7 3.Qd3 (a little look at f1, it can't hurt)
3. ... Kh4
the threat was 4. Kf4+ Kg2 5.Qf3+ and Kg3
4.Kg2 Rg1+ 5.K×h2 Rg4
on 5. ... Rg6, the Bf7 eventually falls
6.Qh7+ Bh5 7.Qé7+ Rg5 8.Qé1+ Kg4 9.Qé4‡
A pure mat, very good Kasparyan, quite accessible to solutionists.
exercises for the next session
3 - exercice 1 - black to play and draw
4RK2/r6p/4Pk2/8/6P1/8/8/8
W. : Kf8 Ré8 Pé6g4
B. : Kf6 Ra7 Ph7
= (4+3)
4 - exercice 2 - white to play and win
7k/2p1q1pp/P2b4/4p3/8/4Q3/6PP/7K
W : Kh1 Qé3 Pa6g2h2
B : Kh8 Qé7 Bd6 Pç7g7h7é5
+ (5+7)
Three helpmates that are a little easier than the previous series. The first one belongs to a dinosauric era where there were no twins and no 2nd solution.
The first 3# can be found very quickly or, on the contrary, can make you tear your hair out. In the 2nd, should we allow the grand-roque? The 3rd has a clear flaw, yet the theme is worth it... Strategy in the 4th. The 5th has something in common with the 6th and last, to which the remark in ... the first.
Two very different 4#s, almost 60 years apart. So are the 5#'s, but they are a full century apart. On the subject of the remarkable Ukrainian problem, some judges criticised the "lack of variety in the 3rd move", obviously imposed by the theme! The proof that one can judge chess problems with a very low IQ... The 9# is perhaps, curiously, the simplest of the series. Finally, a nice selfmate, but this time, considering its brevity, I don't let the solution drag. Which is not to say that it is trivial, far from it.
Becker and Akobia's new opus is much simpler than usual. It is surprising that this ZZ with bishop and doubled rook-pawns against bishop has never been illustrated before. But yes, there is still a lot to do in the endgame, without drifting towards the undrinkable...
Kasparian doesn't always do complicated. This cute study was presented in a solutions competition recently in India, where a mini-match called "world championship" took place. No one is calling for them to play 48 games like in 1984, but still...
The right time for the Queen exchange (as a sacrifice): pretending to fall into a trap.
An error of analysis of a master fide who became a boss of the federation reminds us of the principle of change of function. See in the same genre, but more refined, the exercise 703 of a certain book.
A great champion had throughout his career a handyman, a brilliant analyst. Here we see that he is also capable of playing well. The game won an "undeserved" beauty prize according to a columnist in 1970. Yet Black could only draw on the better defence. The design seems to be beyond both the said columnist and... the capabilities of 21st century analysis engines.
See you, God willing, in a fortnight' time, on Tuesday 28 January. Before that, welcome to the resolution contest on Sunday 26th, in the same premises.
Have a good time.
Complement to the course of 14 January.
The exercise from Komarov-Verat was unusually simple. But it was to check the knowledge of the audience: it is especially in the endings of Bishops of different colours that this "change of function" occurs. I have mentioned exercise 703, but here is a practical example, which gives me the opportunity of a deserved tribute.
The Igor Zaïtsev-Ivkov game was taken from a weekly column by François Molnar, an emblematic figure of the company championships and, for this reason, the best known player of the Saint-Lazare circle, which I recall was very active when I arrived there in... 1974.
He was known for loving endings, hating small talk and practising chivalry. I must have inherited him. Let's add that he was a visionary: he mentions that our game of the day had a beauty prize, and the beauty from the east graced us with a visit, precisely on that day!
Without concern for hierarchy, he criticises this attribution, because he thought he saw a refutation (24...Kxf7), which in the end is not a refutation, only a rescue. Let us bet that he would not have criticized the second attribution!
On 15 March 1986, he had after 64 moves this position with White against your fake master :
(again the only move) and the game was drawn: the roles are exchanged (wK taking care of bP "a", wB taking care of bP "e"). If Black wins the bishop against the "e" pawn, White will push his last pawn, which will have to be captured, if not on g5, at least on g7, and the Pa3 will fall.
Thank you for everything, Mr Molnar.
study of the day
5 - white to play and win
Mirko MILJANIC
Moscou 2013
1° Prix
8/8/2Nq1pk1/P5p1/8/5p2/1Q6/7K
W : Kh1 Qb2 Nç6 Pa5
B : Kg6 Qd6 Pf6g5f3
+ (4+5)
A very interesting and lively study.
A little hint to start the reflection: Kg6 is far from pa5
A small diversions by a missed draw from a variation of the Komarov - Vérat game
6 - Black to play and draw
Komarov - Vérat
8/8/1P4K1/2n1k2P/8/8/8/8
W : Kg6 Pb6h5
B : Ké5 Nç5
= (3+2)
Another clue: it's a function exchange
It's time for the game of the day, where a shadow worker beats a Grandmaster in a style opposite to his employer.
7 - game of the day - Zaïtsev - Ivkov
1.é4 é5 2.Nf3 Nç6 3.Bb5 a6
3. .... Nf6 the famous Berliner popularized by Kramnik to draw against Kasparov
4.Ba4 Nf6 5.0-0 Bé7 6.Ré1 b5 7.Bb3 0-0 8.ç3 d6 9.h3 h6
the Smyslov variation. The others are 9. ...Na5, 9. ... Bb7 and 9. ... Nb8
10.d4 Ré8 11.Nbd2 Bf8 12.Nf1 Bb7 13.Ng3 Na5 14.Bç2 Nç4 15.b3 Nb6 16.Rb1!?
An original idea, typical of White's creativity.
the aim is to make the rook travel on the 2nd rank after Rb2 and Bb1
16. ... ç5 17.Rb2 b4
A move by Grandmaster to counter White's bizarre idea
18.d×é5! b×ç3 19.é×f6 ç×b2 20.B×b2
the Bb2 is now the best white piece.
20. ... g6
Of course, 20. ... gf would be a horror for black people
21.Qb1!
note the move 21.Nh4 which also works: 21. ... Kh7 22.f4 Qd7 23.Qd3 d5 24.Nxg6! fg 25. e5 Qf7 26.f5! g5 27. e6
21. ... Nd7! 22.é5!
in line with the previous move
22. ... B×f3 23.B×g6 N×é5! 24.B×f7+! N×f7?
24. ... Kxf7! 25.Qh7+ Ke6 26.Re3! Qd7 27.Qf5+ Kf7 [27. ... Kd5 28.Rxe5+! Kc6 29.Qxf3+ d5 30.Rh5] 28.Qh7+ Ke6=
25.Qg6+ Kh8 26.Ré7!!
The thunderclap, but the sky was not serene !
26. ... Bd5 27.Nh5?!
27.Nf5! Qa5 28.Nxh6 Qe1+ 29.Kh2 Bxh6 30.Qxh6+! Nxh6 31.f7+ Kh7 32.fe=Q+ QxQ 33.QxQ+ Nf7 34.Qf6 Rg8 35.Qf5+
27. ... Qa5 28.Nf4 Qd2 29.N×d5 resigns
A high quality fight
The complete analyses are in the electronic version of our Master to all.
for the agapes, a PG from Michel
8 - PG sentinels chess with twin opponent's pawn sentinels
Michel CAILLAUD
rnbqkb1r/ppppp1pp/8/5p2/6Pn/8/PPPPP1PP/RNBQKBN1
W : Ké1 Qd1 Ra1 Bç1f1 Nb1g1 Pg4a2b2ç2d2é2g2h2
B : Ké8 Qd8 Ra8h8 Bç8f8 Nb8h4 Pa7b7ç7d7é7g7h7f5
Proof Game (15+16)
a)Sentinels : a playing piece defecates a piece of its side on its starting square of the move, provided there is one left in the box
b)opponent's pawn Sentinels : same as above but defecation occurs with an opposing pawn
Needless to say, the solutions are totally different.
A little hint: there is 1/2 move more in the solution of b)
Finally, a composition in Take & Make
9 - h#2 2 solutions Take & Make
Alberto ARMENI
4K3/1p6/4k3/4P3/1n1n4/2P2q2/3p1rb1/8
W : Ké8 Pé5ç3
B : Ké6 Qf3 Rf2 Bg2 Nb4d4 Pb7d2
h‡2 2 solutions (3+8)
Take & Make : after a capture (Take), the capturing piece must make a move (Make) with the captured piece's march, but without capturing
This problem will appeal to tempi lovers, as White has difficulty passing his rook.
That's the end of the textual report.
See you on 28 January for the next session.
Good reading to all
Sincerely yours
The gutter greffier (weather permitting)
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