Puzzle Paradise
Group 7 "Can the Petroff be perturbed?"P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1 |
Reader's Challenge P7.2.1.1
O.Romanishin-J.Ehlvest, Erevan 1988.
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Is the capture 8...Nxe5 playable for Black?
Reader's Challenge P7.2.1.2
O.Romanishin-J.Ehlvest, Erevan 1988
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Would 11...b6 have been playable for Black?
Mr Mo's Brainteaser P7.4.1
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995.
An interesting twist in the Four Knights' Game is 4 Be2!?, as played in O.Brendel-M.Mohrmann, Krumbach 1991. The continuation was 4...Bc5 (4...Bb4 avoids White's forthcoming tactical trick) 5 Nxe5 Nxe5 6 d4 Bb4 7 dxe5 Nxe4.
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Oliver Brendel's next move defended his own knight while simultaneously attacking the e4-knight, which Black then protected with a pawn. However, White's ninth move (not a capture) caused the opponent to resign immediately. Can you figure out exactly how the game finished?
Reader's Challenge P7.4.2
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995
Imagine that the respective positions of Black's a- and b- and h-pawns are a5, b6 and h4.
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In that hypothetical situation, why would 15...Qd4 be a losing blunder?
Reader's Challenge P7.4.3
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995.
At the end of the last note, if Black then tried 36...Be6, what would you play as White?
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Reader's Challenge P7.4.4
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995.
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White rejected the line 37 cxd6 cxd6 38 Rc6, but why? A solution appears after the game G7.4.
Reader's Challenge P7.10.1
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If Black were to now play 27...Kh8, then can you find a forcing line which wins very quickly for White?
Reader's Challenge P7.15.1
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How should White continue if Black were to now play 12...Kf8?
Solutions
Solution to P7.2.1.1
O.Romanishin-J.Ehlvest, Erevan 1988
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8...Nxe5? opens up the e-file while Black's king is still sitting on e8, and White can choose between the pinning winning lines 9 Qe1 f6 10 Nxe5 fxe5 11 Qxe5+ or 9 Re1 Bd6 (9...Qe7 is actually a little more tenacious) 10 Nxe5! Bxd1 11 Nc6+ Kd7 12 Nxd8, with a decisive material advantage.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to P7.2.1.2
O.Romanishin-J.Ehlvest, Erevan 1988
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11...b6? fatally weakens Black's c6-knight, and White would win with 12 g4! Bg6 13 Bb5! (threatening 14 Nd4, but that's not all...) 13...a6 14 e6!, intending 14...fxe6 15 Ne5 or 14...Qd6 15 Ba3 Qxa3 16 Bxc6+.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to Brainteaser P7.4.1
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995
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The finish was 8 Qd3 d5?? 9 Qb5+ (oops, bye-bye b4-bishop) 1-0.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to P7.4.2
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995
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White would win instantly by trapping Black's queen via 16 c3! Qxc3 17 Bb2.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to P7.4.3
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995
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White wins via 37 Rxd5! Bxd5 38 Bxd5+, with an overwhelming position. However, 37 Bxd5? would let Black "off the hook" because after 37...Bxd5 38 Rxd5 he has the resource 38...Re2+ followed by 39...Rxb2.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to P7.4.4
A.Shirov-V.Akopian, Linares 1995
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Black could play 38...Rxa6!!, intending 39 Rxa6 Nc4 40 Re2 Rxe2+ 41 Kxe2 Nxb2 or 40 Bc3 Nxd2 41 Bxd2 Bd3!, causing more trouble at a6 and also threatening 42...Re2+.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to P7.10.1
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White would win instantly with 28 Qh6! Rg8 29 g6.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1
Solution to P7.15.1
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12...Kf8 loses instantly to 13 Qxe7+! Qxe7 14 Rxe7 Kxe7 15 Re1+, because on his next move White will capture one of Black's knights.
P7.2.1.1 P7.2.1.2 P7.4.1 P7.4.2 P7.4.3 P7.4.4 P7.10.1 P7.15.1