Saturday, January 8, 2011

Puzzles and Photos from PS 98

Haby

 1. Kevin Marin had the above position in round one. He's completely winning, of course, but what's the best move for white?

 2. Jorge was white in the above position. His opponent played 5...cxd4. Should Jorge recapture with the knight or the pawn?

3. Many moves later... white to move-- can Jorge take on a7?

 4. Xonatia took a poisoned pawn on b2. Where should her opponent have moved?

5. A few moves later, her opponent has just played the uncomfortable 13. Qe2+. How should she escape?

answers are below the photos



Markus and Alex
Aleem

Carlos and Jorge
Otto
Zion and Haby
Zanea
Xonatia

more photos here. 

answers

1. Kevin should play 18. Qh5! White threatens 19. Bxh6 Qxf6 20. Bg5+. If 18... gxf6 19. Qxh6+ Kg8 20. Bxf6. 

2. Black can give white an isolated pawn by force; white gets to choose whether to keep all the pieces (6. exd4), trade a pair of knights (6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. exd4), or trade the queens and a pair of knights (6. Nxd4 Nxd4 7. Qxd4 Qxd4 8. exd4). If you have an isolated pawn, you want to keep the pieces on the board, so it's best to take with the pawn immediately. 
3. No, Bxa7 loses the bishop to ...Kb7. 

4. 11. Nb5! threatens the Bd6 and to trap the queen with Rb1. 

5. Xonatia should block with 13...Ne5! since 14. Nxe5 Qxa1+ 15. Kd2 Bb4+ 16. Kd3 Bf5+ 17. Be4 Qc3 is checkmate.

I'm enjoying a new book called The Invisible Gorilla: And Other Ways Our Intuitions Deceive Us by Christopher Chablis and Daniel Simon. They did a survey at the World Open a few years ago and found out that most chessplayers think they are underrated. 
watch this related video.
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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Blessings, Liz and all the 318 players/Students and teacher.
Would you be interested in helping in my research/exp[eriment ?!
Have a look at http://weakercomputerchessengines.blogspot.com/ , if you do have time.
Would be only a few games( as many as you feel suitable) against any players interested in participating.
I would be sending you a list of the weaker ones, and also the ones i think more suitable( at the time being) to be played. They all between 1400 and 2100 roughly (Elo based estimations)

It would indeed be a great help !
But, no worries if you dont have the time, or dont think suitable for their training: The best for them it is the priority and i do understand that !
RASpect
Ras Bruno
PS: It was me who left a comment a whiele ago, saying i do follow your blog ( done it for quite a while now), as to all the chess, i ca add that you really are an interesting person, no doubt !
All the best for your engagement, and your puppy !

January 9, 2011 at 11:50 AM
ed g. said...

'They did a survey at the World Open a few years ago and found out that most chessplayers think they are underrated."

Not so much. They did a survey and found that most chessplayers at the World Open think they're underrated. Well, duh, who's going to spend hundreds of dollars going to the W.O. if they think they're overrated (and therefore have no chance at prizemoney).

Also, many of the players there have worked very hard for months to make sure they're underrated.

January 10, 2011 at 3:53 PM

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