Puzzle Paradise
Group 3 "The vivacious Vienna" |
Reader's Challenge P3.3.1: "Helpmate"!
R.Forster-Z.Almasi, Horgen 1995.
           
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A "helpmate" is basically a sequence in which one player actually helps the opponent to achieve checkmate. Instead of playing 20 Bxe5+, can you find a two-move helpmate in which Black delivers checkmate at move 21, but with White not moving the f4-bishop at all?
Reader's Challenge P3.3.2
R.Forster-Z.Almasi, Horgen 1995.
Imagine altering the position by putting White's c2-pawn on c5 and Black's g5-bishop on d8.
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Can you then find a rapid forced win for White involving an elegant sacrifice?
Reader's Challenge P3.4.1
J.Emms-M.Olesen, Hillerod 1995.
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Is 5...Ng4 to be feared now?
Reader's Challenge P3.5.1
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Just suppose that the continuation was 16 Rad1 Qf6 17 Qb5?. Can you now spot a sneaky line in which White's queen first gets attacked, and then gets carelessly trapped if she shifts to the wrong square at move 18?
Reader's Challenge P3.11.1
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Consider the continuation 3 e5 Ne4 4 Nce2 d4 5 c3 dxc3. In that line, is Black's final move a blunder?
Reader's Challenge P3.16.1
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Can you find a particular 17th move for White which actually lets Black deliver immediate checkmate with the reply?
The answer appears at the end of game G13.6.
Solutions
Solution to P3.3.1: "Helpmate"!
R.Forster-Z.Almasi, Horgen 1995
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One of the solutions is 20 d5 Bc5+ 21 Kg2 Qh3#, and a more outrageous possibility is 20 Kg2 Rxf4 21 Rg1 Qh3#.
P3.3.1 P3.3.2 P3.4.1 P3.5.1 P3.11.1 P3.16.1
Solution to P3.3.2
R.Forster-Z.Almasi, Horgen 1995.
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White would win beautifully by force with 24 Re8+!! Qxe8 25 Qxh6+ Ke7 26 Qg7+ Qf7 27 Qxf7#.
P3.3.1 P3.3.2 P3.4.1 P3.5.1 P3.11.1 P3.16.1
Solution to P3.4.1
J.Emms-M.Olesen, Hillerod 1995.
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5...Ng4? is actually bad because of 6 f5!, intending 6...Nf2 7 Qh5 and then, for example, 7...g6 8 Qh6 Nxh1 9 Bg5 f6 10 fxg6 fxg5 11 g7 or 11 Qg7 with a winning attack for White.
P3.3.1 P3.3.2 P3.4.1 P3.5.1 P3.11.1 P3.16.1
Solution to P3.5.1
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17...Bd7 18 Qa5?? Nc4 embarrasses the lady trapped on a5.
P3.3.1 P3.3.2 P3.4.1 P3.5.1 P3.11.1 P3.16.1
Solution to P3.11.1
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At first sight, 5...dxc3 may appear to lose to 6 Qa4+, but in fact that check lands WHITE in trouble because of 6...Nd7!, intending 7 Qxe4 Nc5 or 7 bxc3 Nc5 8 Qd4 Nxe5!, and there is the recurring problem of a black knight thumping down at d3. Instead of 6 Qa4+?, White should simply play 6 bxc3.
P3.3.1 P3.3.2 P3.4.1 P3.5.1 P3.11.1 P3.16.1
Solution to P3.16.1
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17 Rc1 Ba3/Bb4/Ba5#.
P3.3.1 P3.3.2 P3.4.1 P3.5.1 P3.11.1 P3.16.1