Puzzle Paradise
Group 4 "f for forward"P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1 |
Reader's Challenge P4.1.1
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960
A fascinating alternative is 2...Nc6:
            
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3 Nf3 f5!?, with Black determined to have his fair share of "f for forward"! You are invited to answer the question "Why must White NOT capture the e5-pawn at move three or four?". The straightforward solution appears after the game G4.1, but even a certain F.I.D.E. master friend fell into the trap when playing White against me in 1996!
Reader's Challenge P4.1.2
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960.
If 2...Bc5,
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then the "normal" response is 3 Nf3 (not 3 fxe5?? Qh4+), but can 3 Nc3 be considered too? Is it bad for White to allow 3...Bxg1 4 Rxg1 Qh4+ to happen?
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Reader's Challenge P4.1.3.1
D.Lawson-D.Findlay, 1999 Scottish Richardson Cup Final.
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Can you now find Black's strongest possible 17th move, which caused White to resign in the actual game?
Reader's Challenge P4.1.3
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960
Consider the line 5 d4 Nf6 6 c4 0-0 7 c5?! (7 Be2 is steadier for White) 7...Re8+ 8 Be2 Bf8 9 Nc3 Nxd5 10 Nxd5 Qxd5 11 Bxf4 Nc6! (Black correctly concentrates on rapid development instead of timidly defending the c7-pawn) 12 Bxc7 Bg4 13 0-0.
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This situation actually arose some years ago in correspondence chess, and White must have got a major shock when Black's winning 13th move (which you are invited to find) arrived in the post.
Reader's Challenge P4.1.4
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960
If 13...f5 14 Ng3 f4 15 Qd3! Nf6 16 Ne5 fxg3,
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then can you now find a lovely forced sequence in which every White move is a check, up to and including the final checkmate?
Reader's Challenge P4.2.1
B.Spassky-P.Motwani, Glasgow Simul 1987
If 5 Qxe5+,
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then can you explain why 5...Be7! actually works well for Black?
Reader's Challenge P4.6.1
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What much better 28th move could Black have played?
Reader's Challenge P4.10.1
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Black is certainly winning after 25...Qxf1+ at the end of the previous note, but let's continue a bit further. White's 26th move is forced, and can you then find a short, sweet line in which Black delivers a pretty checkmate on move 27 if White incorrectly makes a capture on his own 27th move?
Reader's Challenge P4.10.2
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How could White have won virtually 'on the spot' at move 26?
Reader's Challenge P4.11.1
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Consider 13...Nce7. Can you find a quick winning continuation for White?
Reader's Challenge P4.15.1
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What knock-out blow did Luc Henris now land on his opponent at move 007?
Reader's Challenge P4.24.1
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After 16...Rxg2, Black threatens a winning queen sacrifice which you are invited to find.
Reader's Challenge P4.38.1
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If Black plays 15...Qg7, then how can White wrap up the game in great style?
Solutions
Solution to P4.1.1
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960.
A fascinating alternative is 2...Nc6:
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3 fxe5?? Qh4+ is absolutely disastrous for White, as is 4 Nxe5?? (4 fxe5? fxe4) 4...Nxe5 5 fxe5 Qh4+ 6 Ke2 (6 g3 Qxe4+, and the rook on h1 goes) 6...Qxe4+ 7 Kf2 Bc5+, winning easily for Black.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.1.2
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960
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3 Nc3 tempts Black to play 3...Bxg1? (3...d6 is better) 4 Rxg1 Qh4+ (4...exf4 features soon in G4.1.4), but as White I have won numerous games in "simuls" where 5 g3 Qxh2 6 Rg2 Qh1 happened. This is very bad for Black because White has a huge lead in development, which he can opt to increase with 7 d4, planning 7...d6 8 Be3 Bh3? 9 Rg1 Qh2 10 Qh5! Qxc2 11 Qxh3 Qxb2 12 Qc8+ Ke7 13 Nd5#.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.1.3.1
D.Lawson-D.Findlay, 1999 Scottish Richardson Cup Final.
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White resigned after 17...a5!, with his trapped queen having no satisfactory way to meet the main threat of 18...Rfb8.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.1.3
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960
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13...Nxd4! detonates the central d4-pawn, and is instantly decisive because of 14 Nxd4 (14 Qxd4 Bxc5) 14...Bxe2 15 Nxe2 Bxc5+ 16 Kh1 Qxd1 17 Raxd1 Rxe2, with a winning material and positional advantage for Black.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.1.4
B.Spassky-D.Bronstein, Leningrad 1960
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White wins beautifully with 17 Qh7+!! Nxh7 18 Bb3+ Be6 (18...Qd5 only delays the inevitable end by one move, whereas 18...Kh8 19 Ng6# stops dead Black's suffering) 19 Bxe6+ Rf7 20 Bxf7+ Kf8 21 Ng6#.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to 4.2.1
B.Spassky-P.Motwani, Glasgow Simul 1987.
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The developing move 5...Be7! is very desirable for Black, and sets the sneaky trap 6 Qxg7?? Bf6 7 Qg3 Bh4, pinning and winning White's lady.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.6.1
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28...Nd2+! 29 Ka4 (other moves "only" cost White his rook to a fork ...Nc4+) 29...Bc2+ forces a neat finish with 30...Nc4#.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.10.1
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26 Kh2 Bg1+!, intending 27 Kh1 Bf2+ or 27 Rxg1? Qh3#!
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.10.2
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26 Be5! wins instantly, because 26...Nxe5 or 26...Bxe5 allows 27 Qxe8+, and if 26...Rg8 then we have the nice finish 27 Qxg7+! Rxg7 28 Rf8#.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.11.1
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White wins nicely with 14 Qa4+! c6 (no better is 14...b5 15 Qxb5+ c6 16 Qb7 or 14...Kd8 15 Ne6+ Kc8 16 Qe8#) 15 Ne4! because Black loses his queen after 15...Qf5/f7 16 Nd6+.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.15.1
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7 Bxf7+! Kxf7 (If 7...Kd8 8 Nf3 Qg4 9 h3 Qg3, then 10 Ne2 wins Black's unhappy queen) 8 Nf3 and Black soon threw in the towel, seeing that his lady is lost after 8...Qg4/h5 9 Ne5+.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.24.1
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Black threatens 17...Qxh4!!, which wins because of 18 Rxh4 Rg1# or 18 Rf1 Bg4, after which White's f2-knight and e2-bishop both find themselves in deadly pins.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1
Solution to P4.38.1
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15...Qg7 allows the beautiful finish 16 Nxc7+ Kd8 17 Qf8+!! Qxf8 18 Rxf8+ Bxf8 19 Re8#.
P4.1.1 P4.1.2 P4.1.3.1 P4.1.3 P4.1.4 P4.2.1 P4.6.1 P4.10.1 P4.10.2 P4.11.1 P4.15.1 P4.24.1 P4.38.1