Puzzle Paradise
Group 12 "Italian fashion: in or out?" |
Reader's Challenge P12.2.1.1
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If 7 Nc3 dxc3 8 Bxd5, then one safe, sound choice for Black is 8...Be6. In fact, how would he win if White plays 9 Rxe4?
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Reader's Challenge P12.7.1
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After 5...dxc3? or 5...Nf6 6 e5 Ne4 7 Bd5 Ng5?, how should White continue?
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Reader's Challenge P12.7.2
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Just imagine this position with Black's queen back on d7 instead of e6. What would be White's strongest 24th move?
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Reader's Challenge P12.10.1
If 15...f5
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then can you find a way for White to force checkmate not later than move 19? An answer appears after the game G12.10.
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Reader's Challenge P12.14.1
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If 8 Qf1 Rf8 9 d3 Nd6 10 Nxd6+ cxd6 11 Qe2, then can you demonstrate a forced winning continuation for Black?
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Reader's Challenge P12.22.1
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Consider the plausible-looking line 22 Nxd6 Nxd6 23 Rac1 a5!? (23...Nc4!? is possible too) 24 Rxc7 a4 25 Bd1 Nc4 26 Qc3 Nxb2 27 Qxb2. Some of White's moves there actually deserve to be branded with at least one '?', because Black can now win in a way that you are invited to find.
Solutions
Solution to P12.2.1.1
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9...Ne7! caused White to resign immediately in several actual games, because the pinned d5-bishop cannot be saved.
P12.2.1.1 P12.7.1 P12.7.2 P12.10.1 P12.14.1
Solution to P12.7.1
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If 5...dxc3?, then 6 Qd5! forces 6...Nh6. Interestingly, although 7 Bxh6 0-0 puts Black a piece down, he shouldn't resign! The point is that 8 Bc1 (to protect b2) can be answered by 8...Nb4!, threatening ...Nc2+ and intending 9 Qd1 c2. However, 8 Bxg7 Kxg7 9 Nxc3 is one simple way for White to give back surplus material and emerge with a very obvious positional advantage instead. In the case of 5...Nf6 6 e5 Ne4 7 Bd5 Ng5?, White wins instantly with 8 Nxg5 Bxg5 9 Qh5!, producing a deadly double attack against Black's f7-pawn and g5-bishop.
P12.2.1.1 P12.7.1 P12.7.2 P12.10.1 P12.14.1
Solution to P12.7.2
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White could win beautifully with 24 Qxh7+!! Nxh7 25 Rxh7+ Kxh7 26 Rh1+ Kg6 27 Nf4+ Kg5 28 Rh5+! Kxf4 29 g3#. Black could only slightly delay the inevitable checkmate by interposing his bishop and/or queen at h4 or h3 respectively. However, note that if Black's queen is on e6 instead of d7, then the important defensive resource 26...Qh6 becomes available.
P12.2.1.1 P12.7.1 P12.7.2 P12.10.1 P12.14.1
Solution to P12.10.1
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16 Qg5+! Kh8 17 Qxf5 Bxf2+ 18 Rxf2 forces mate with 19 Qxh7#.
Solution to P12.14.1
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Black wins via 11...Nd4 12 Qd2 Qg4!, with the deadly dual threats of 13...Ne2+ and 13...Nf3+.
Solution to P12.22.1
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Black wins crisply with 27...Qxf1+! 28 Kxf1 Bh3+ 29 Kg1 Re1#.
P12.2.1.1 P12.7.1 P12.7.2 P12.10.1