january 13 2009

Despite a very disruptive social movement, the Master's course still took place.
They always choose the Tuesday of the course to cease their activity but for all these years a hard core has resisted and attended the Master's lecture.

To begin with, something light in appearance.

1 - White to play and draw

W.: Kf6, pd3
B.: Ka4, pb7 and f5

This study won a first prize, which is remarkable for this material.

To follow, a question on a position, still with a light material.

2 - for white (to move) to win, must the pawn be on a2 or a3 ?

W.: Kb2 pa2 or a3
B.: Kh1, pf6

Master's words

Three helpmates for Daniel, one of which was composed by a former world solving champion.

The one with "set play" (giving the move to White, and thus helpmate 2,5#) shows a chameleon-like echo that is not a model. In the 5# helpmate, it is! Speaking of resolution, in anticipation of the January 25 event (to be held in Montreuil this year), here's a little practice with directs and selfmates (the one with the three authors is prodigious, how can it only get a "fourth place"?) Note that the 5-moves selfmate is very easy. And a curious PG with two very dissimilar solutions.

Sometimes you can get a first prize with a... "three counters", even in these days of abstruse rules. This reminds me of this little masterpiece by an almost unknown author, with which I started any lecture on endgames. The proof that a pawn is better on its starting square. For the attack. But also for the defence: see this part extracted from a book on endgames that many know, but that nobody has read. Except the author. And still...

Two heavy sacrifices on the same square. Finally a surprising stalemate with double pinning, extending the stalemate made by Ciocaltea against Pachman in 1954, composed independently by J-M. Loustau, specialist of this material, as a relaxation between two more ambitious works.

The game of the day involves two "young and ambitious stars" of the time, now respectable forty-somethings. They compete inventively in this penultimate game of a match won by the White driver, who should have lost the very last one. I confess I don't understand why nobody ever played 13...Nd7 14 Rxd5 (14 h3 Be6 -- forgotten by the speaker) Nf6 15 Rb5 (15 Rg5 h6) Qc7 15 h3 Bd7!

A little respite: the next lesson is only in a fortnight (but the next one in three...)!

AV

Needless to say, you have to go quite far in the analysis.

And now, a study that will appeal to game players.

3 - White to play and win

W.: Kg5, Qh8, Rh1, Be2, pc2, d3, f4 and g4
B.: Kf7, Qg3, Ra4, Bd5 and f8, Nc6, pc3, e6, e7 and g7

Great art.

To finish the study part, an acrobatic draw.

4 - White to play and draw

W.: Kh7, Qh3, Ng6 and h6, pc2 and d7
B.: Kf8, Qd4, Ra1, Ba8 and b4

Outstanding!

And now, the game of the day with two young people (at the time) full of energy

5 - game of the day

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nf6 3. Nxe5 d6, 4. Nf3 Nxe4 5. d4 d5 6. Bd3 Bd6 7. 0-0 0-0 8. c4 c6 9. cd (9. Nc3) cd 10. Nc3 Nxc3 (10. ... Re8) 11. bc Bg4 12. Rb1 b6 (12. ... Nd7 13. Rxb7 (severely burned) Nb6 and a lively game begins) 13. Rb5 Bc7 (Nd7) 14. h3 (c4) a6 15 hg ab 16. Qc2 g6 (16. ... h6 17 g5) 17. Bh6 Re8 18. Bxb5 Re4 19. g5 (c4) Qd6 ( 19. ... Ra3 20. Rd1 gives air to the King) 20. Ne5 Qe6 (20. ... Rxe5 21. de Qxe5 22. g3 White is better and even on 22. f4 Qe3+ 23. Qf2 Bxf4 24. Re1 QxQ+ 25. KxQ Na6) 21. f4 Nc6 !! (from the depths of hell) 22. Nxc6 (22. Bxc6 Bxe5 23. Bxa8 Bxf4 24. Rxf4 Rxf4 25. Qd2 Rh4 26. c4 dc 27. g3 Rh3 28. Kg2 c3 29. Qxc3 Rxh6 30. gh Qxa2+ 31. Kg1 Qxa8 )) Rxf4 23. Rxf4 Bxf4 (small threat) 24. Ne5 (24. Qe2 Rxa2) Bxe5 25. de Qxe5 26. a4 Qe1+ 27. Kh2 Rc8 28. Qd3 Qe5+ 29. Qg3 Qxc3 30. Qf4 Qc7 31. Kg3 Qc3+ 32. Kh2 draw agreed

For the dining part, the audience flocked to the "Beer Academy", a high place of worship for the problems.
With mussels, fries and beer, the preoccupation of the moment was provocative chess
So there was no presentation of the Master's selection, that will be for the next time.

Good reading to all and see you soon for the corrections.

I hand over to the Master for the electronic version.
Yours sincerely

Le greffier

terminology

"Social movement'? The master greffier is too kind to reproduce the cotton-tongued term favoured by pen and microphone hacks. I would rather have spoken of a "wildcat strike", of "widespread sabotage", of "taking French workers hostage", or even of the "infantile diversion" of his anger onto those who have nothing to do with it.

Very few remarks, the master clerk being always brilliant.

Study 4: a White Knight is on g4 (not g6).

Game of the day, variation 20...Rxe5 : it is not 25...Na6 which was analysed but 25...f5!

See you Tuesday 27. Have a good meal.

AV