Jul-30-24 | | Damenlaeuferbauer: After long pondering, the immortal 4th world champion Alexander Alekhine finally found the nice rook sacrifice 36.-,Rh1+! 37.Kxh1 (37.Kg2,Qxh3#) 37.-,Qxh3+ 38.Kg1 (38.Qh2,Ra1+ 39.Rb1,Rxb1+ 40.Rf1,Rf1#) 38.-,Ra1+ 39.Qf1,Rxf1+ 40.Rxf1,Nf3+ 41.Kf2 (43.Rxf3,Qxf3 -+) 41.-,Qh2+ 42.Ke3,Qxb2 -+. I love Tuesdays! |
Jul-31-24
 | | PawnSac: < saturn2: 36...Qxf2 followed by the fork Nd3 wins exchange and game. > yes, that's one way to win. After.. Qxf2+ 37. Rbxf2 Nd3 38. Rxf7 Nxf2 39. Rxd7 R8a2! <diagram 1>
 click for larger viewBlack threatens Rh1+ winning the bishop, but if white plays 40.Bg2 to guard h1 & e4 there follows Nxg4+ Kg3 Ne5 simultaneously hitting the rook and threatening Rg1 doubling on the pinned B. The only solution i see to parry both threats is Rd8+ with tempo (seems forced) ..Kf7 and then Bg2 or Kg3. It's clear, whatever white does will be insufficient (with correct play). So, Kudos! You found a winning line, just harder to execute. After Alekhine's ..Rh1+ 37. Kxh1 Qxh3+ <game final position> 38. Kg1 <only move> Ra1+ 39. Qf1 Rxf1+ 40. Rxf1 <all forced>, we have <diagram 2>  click for larger viewand now black wins the exchange <by force> with Nf3+ Rxf3 (worse is Kf2 Qh2+ Kxf3 Qxb2 ) Qxf3 <diagram 3>
 click for larger viewBy a sequence of 5 forced moves we arrive at this position. If you see the back rank threat, the sequence to arrive at diagram 2 is not difficult to visualize, and the rest is staring you in the face; no harder than a Tuesday puzzle. < so compare diagrams 1 & 3 >
Which position would you rather have?
Both lines win the exchange by force, but the Nd3 fork line is less clear, has more variants, requires more calculation, and offers white more defensive resources by complicating. Alekhine's line is all forced, little to calculate, AND the position is greatly clarified. With the elimination of one rook, a white frontal assault with Rg2 has vanished. With the Q still on the board tactical possibilities are increased. The pawns are much weaker. The Q is far superior to the rook; triangulating and zigzag'ing around picking up pawns while harassing the king, and with the LSB on the board, there can be mate threats. The general principle.. trade queens to simplify to a clearly won ending. If you have a strong attacking advantage, keep the queen on the board! Lastly, white's back rank counter play with Ra2 is easily parried with ..h6. In fact, Stockfish prefers 40...h6 over the immediate Nf6+, as it is a very good multipurpose move, creating a flight square for king safety, while restraining the white pawns, trying to lock them on bad squares. And sometimes a null, or waiting move, which forces the opponent to make a move in zugzwang fashion, is stronger, as any move worsens his position. But keep in mind engines have greater raw calculation power, and can manage crazy complex positions, selecting anti-intuitive moves, even damaging it's own position in minor ways, for a subtle distant advantage. Humans can't think this way, and generally prefer direct, clear, thematic, manageable play. So while engines are helpful in home prep, checking for mistakes, and finding improvements, we must play according to what we understand, or we get lost in confusion. So <the challenge is always improving our positional assessment>. |