march 15 2011

The doors were closed for a long time for this session, but Daniel eventually arrived. 

The return of our friend Guy was unanimously welcomed, and we look forward to the return of other regulars!
As the course started a little late, the analysis of the game was not as thorough as usual.

For the warm-up, a simple position with a nice manoeuvre.

1 – White to play and win

8/3b2Bd/8/7p/6k1/8/6K1/Q7
W. : Kg2 Qa1 Bg7
B. : Kg4 Qh7 Bd7 Ph5
‡                              (3+4)
 
To help you a little, the f5 square is undermined for the Black King.
We continue with a nice "normal chess player" problem
2 – White to play and win

1Q6/8/8/2pK3p/8/5N1q/1P4pp/5Rbk
W. : Kd5 Qb8 Rf1 Nf3 Pb2
B. : Kh1 Qh3 Bg1 Pç5h5g2h2
+                              (5+7)

Among the three helpmate for Daniel, the 4-move one has a more difficult solution than the other. This is followed by a selfmate 3-moves, which is awarded a second prize, but is much better than the first prize. Do you know this refrain? I know it too. It shows an AB-BC-CD-DE-EA cycle, with five distinct mats. And two direct mats in 5, one of which I found difficult, the other spectacular but not really surprising (the bK will play a little, but everything is so natural...).

Troitzkian warm-up: simple and direct. A study once considered anti-ordian, now effortlessly cleared up by "Houdin". By the way, I recall that Houdini, whose real name was Ehrich Weiss, was an American-based entertainer who chose his pseudonym as a tribute to the French magician Jean Eugène Robert-Houdin. For my part, I have always preferred originals to imitations.

The rook vs. bishop duel is infinitely simpler than rook and bishop vs. rook, since with two almost twin studies, one can learn most of what there is to know. Nevertheless, there are some delightful subtleties. Here is a sort of diagonal echo. Note for the good use of the electronic report: Van?ura's study is included in Sackmann's (see 1--). Both studies have a distinct starting position and key, but from the 2nd move, differ only in the position of the rook, which is either on d3 or d4.

Today's game is a fairly simple illustration of the eternal principle of playing on both wings, rather than focusing on a strongly defended wing, where our initiative is likely to get stuck. It also provides a new element on how to use, or refrain from using, the computer at certain key moments of an analysis.

See you, God willing, in a fortnight' time, on 29 March.
Have a good lunch.

No frills for the key to this position with a long zug afterwards for the 2nd white move.
 
Now a classic but still a wonder
3 – White to play and win

2R5/7k/8/5K2/8/8/7b/8
W. : Kf5 Rç8
B. : Kh7 Bh2
+                              (2+2)

With material like this, you have to be really precise.
 
And finally, here is the twin composition
4 – White to play and win

8/8/7k/8/2R3K1/8/7b/8
W. : Kg4 Rç4
B. : Kh6 Bh2
+                              (2+2)
 
 
 
5 – Game of the day
1. d4 f5 2. c4 Nf6 3. g3 e6 4. Bg2 d5 5. Nf3 c6
the famous stonewall
6. 0-0 Bd6
to counter the idea b3 – Ba3 by Qe7
7. Bf4 0-0
7. … Bxf4 8. gf 0-0 9. e3 Nbd7 10. Ne5 Nxe5 11 de with idea of placing the N on d4
8. Bxd6 Qxd6 9. Qc2 b6 10. Na3
the anti-computer move

10. … Na6
10. … Bb7 11 cd cd 12. Nb5 Qd7 13 Qc7 Qxb5 14. Qxb7 Qd7 ! and 15. Qxa8 Nc6 16 Qxf8+ deserves to be looked at
11. Rac1 Bb7 12. cd cd 13. Nb5 Qe7 14. Qa4 Ne8 15 Rc3 Nec7 16. Nxc7
16. Rfc1 Qe8 17. Rxc7 Bc6 18. Qa6 Bxb5 19.Qb7 Qg6 20.  Ne5 Qf6 21. Bxd5 Rfb8=
16. … Nxc7 17. h3 Rfc8 18. g4 g6 19. gf gf 20. Ne5 Ne8?
20. Kh8 !
21. Rg3+ Kh8 22. Kh2 Nf6 23. Rg1  Rc7  24. Bf3 Bc6
24. … Qd6 25. Qd1 (threatens Qd2 to h6) Rg8 26. Qc1Rxg3 27. Rxg3 Qxe5 28. de Rxc1 29. ef Rc7 30. Bh5 Bc6 (otherwise white plays Be8) 31. Rc3 Rc8 32. Bf7 and it's over
25. Qb3 Kg8 26. Bh5
25. Rxg8
26. … Qf8 27. RxR  NxR 28. Qg3

 

On our way to a well-deserved meal, we came across a swarm of peripatetic women, no doubt coming out of a seminar, one (!) of them having even made some tempting proposals to the greffier after having checked, of course, that the equipment was in place.

As our friend Guy had not been here for a long time, he had the opportunity to present us with a preview of some world premieres.
In addition to the beauty of the main lines, we were able to note the hidden richness of the positions
From the great Guy.

The Master nevertheless had the opportunity to slip in a little digestive problem that will delight your taste buds.

6 – h#2 

5K2/6P1/8/8/8/8/3pP1p1/4k3
W. : Kf8 Pg7é2
B. : Ké1 Pd2g2
h‡2                           (3+3)
a)    Circe : a captured piece is reborn on its initial square if it is free, otherwise it disappears
b)     Anti-circe : it is the captured piece which is reborn on its original square. If this one is occupied, the capture is illegal

To help you a little by paraphrasing someone known: pawns are the soul of chess!

This textual version of the report is finished, the electronic version of the Master is attached and I wish you good reading.
See you in 2 weeks.

Yours sincerely.

Le greffier 

Mestre's corrections

In the last study, the White rook is on e4, not c4. I thought for a moment that the master greffier had improved the study, wR being less passive, but no: there would be a major dual 2 Ke6. This explains it. But this mistake is very fruitful, since it allowed me to discover the 2 Ke6? Bc7!

I also take the opportunity to point out that the "only move" sign at 5 Rh4! was a mistake by the speaker. The audience showed that they had followed perfectly, and were by no means there to wait for dinner time. She played 5 Rc3! demonstrating another win with perfect control.

Game of the day: in the variation 16 Rfc1 Qe8 17 Rxc7, it is necessary to intercalate 17...Nxc7 18 Rxc7 and only now 18...Bc6 etc.

Besides it is not useless to emphasize the second "anti-computer" move 17 h3!

Numbering: the missed move is 26 Rxg8+. And more resistant was 26...Rf8. After 28 Qg3, the host rightly gives up, but Black's less confident player asked for (and got) the proof: 28...Bb5 29 Qh4! Nf6 30 Bf7! surrender.

We can easily understand that the said "equipment check" (the greffier does not tell us to what extent) may have had a slight impact on the serenity of the account.

Have a good time.