chessgames.com
Members · Prefs · Laboratory · Collections · Openings · Endgames · Sacrifices · History · Search Kibitzing · Kibitzer's Café · Chessforums · Tournament Index · Players · Kibitzing
Frantisek Blatny vs Vrbata
Chocen fin-B (1950)
Alekhine Defense: Four Pawns Attack. Main Line (B03)  ·  1-0

8
7
6
5
4
3
2
a
1
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
White to move.
ANALYSIS [x]
1-0

rnbqkbnr/pppppppp/8/8/8/8/PPPPPPPP/RNBQKBNR w KQkq - 0 1
FEN COPIED

explore this opening
find similar games 593 more games of F Blatny
PGN: download | view | print Help: general | java-troubleshooting

TIP: You can get computer analysis by clicking the "ENGINE" button below the game.

PGN Viewer:  What is this?
For help with this chess viewer, please see the Olga Chess Viewer Quickstart Guide.
PREMIUM MEMBERS CAN REQUEST COMPUTER ANALYSIS [more info]

Kibitzer's Corner
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>
Sep-29-09  johnlspouge: Tuesday (Easy)

F Blatny vs Vrbata, 1950 (23.?)

White to play and win.

Material: N for B. The Black Kg8 has 2 legal moves. The White battery Rf1 and Rf3 x-rays Rf8 through the Black Pf6 and could deliver mate if Pf6 disappeared. The White Qe2 x-rays the Black Qh5 through Rf3, suggesting a discovered attack. The mate threat reveals the correct discovery.

Candidates (22.): Rxf6

22.Rxf6 (threatening 23.Rxf8# or 23.Qxh5)

Black has a single move to save Qh5 next move and prevent mate:

22…Qe8 23.Rxf8+ Qxf8 24.Rxf8+ Kxf8

White has won Q+P for R.

Sep-29-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: 23.Rxf6 is perhaps the clearest solution, but 23.d7 also wins - with the idea of 24.Rxf6 if the Rc8 moves. It also prevents ...Qe8 as a (not very good) defence to 23.Rxf6.

After 23.d7 Black's best seems to be ...Qxf3, which is obviously hopeless. Other queen moves allow 24.dxc8(Q).

Not really a distinct solution, I admit, as the Rxf6 idea is still required.

Sep-29-09  whiteshark: <23.Rxf6> should end the game. It threatens 24.Rxf8# and 24.Qxh5 winning the ♕ for the stake of a ♖.
Sep-29-09  Eduardo Leon: The black bishop blocks the coordination between the rooks, and the black queen is loose. All of this suggests <23. Rxf6>, which wins at least a queen for a rook: <23. ... Qe8 24. Rxf8+ Qxf8 25. Rxf8+ Kxf8>. As if it wasn't enough, then <26. Qf3+> begins some serious pawngrabbing: <26. ... Ke8/g8 27. Qg4 Kf7 28. Qh5+>.
Sep-29-09  remolino: Too easy, 23. Rxf6. This was easier than a Monday.
Sep-29-09  Patriot: Initial candidates: Nxf6+,Rxf6

23.Nxf6+ works nicely only if 23...gxf6 (24.Rg3+ winning queen and a pawn for rook and knight) but that's not forced as 24.Bxf6 can be played.

But 23.Rxf6 fits nicely as it exposes black to both 24.Qxh5 and 24.Rxf8#. 23...Qe8 24.Rxf8+ Qxf8 25.Rxf8+ wins queen for rook.

22...Qh5?? -- another "hope chess" move leading to another chessgames puzzle. Although material is equal, white has serious positional plusses: a protected passer on d6, pressure down the f-file, and disconnected black rooks (thanks to a bishop that cannot move). I'm not sure what the best move for black is at that point.

Sep-29-09  TheTamale: <gawain: How does one alert Chessgames.com to a position from a previously unkibitzed game that looks like a good puzzle position?>

Not 100% sure this will work, but I believe Chessgames.com staff peruses the "Kibitzers' Cafe" section for suggestions.

Sep-29-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  chrisowen: Marshalling the position 23.Rxf6 freely opens it with the poor en prise black queen not happy having to sacrifice herself to get out.
Sep-29-09  alphee: Among exf6, ♘xf6 and ♖xf6 this last one did not appear as the favorite from the begining, even if when the "solution" is found it looks like obvious.
Sep-29-09  kevin86: Ouch! White threatens mate and queen at the same time-much better and forceful than Nxf6 (my move-darn it)
Sep-29-09  YouRang: I found it after a too-long effort. I saw the discovered attack on black's queen based on moving my f3 rook at the opportune time.

But I got it stuck in my head that the rook move had to be check.

Eventually, I realized that a mate threat was just as good, so 23.Rxf6 (threatening Rxf8#) leaves black with no time to save the queen from 24.Qxh5.

Sep-29-09  BOSTER: Honestly, I like to read <Once> comments because you can find here not only <Material even>,but something else. BTW, about <Material even>. Very often the <CG> puzzles represents the position where the solution is forced mate or win in couple moves. I want to ask players icluding <dzechiel> and <johnisponge> ,which great job I respect. Do you really think that this is impotant to know that the such position has the same amount pieces, pawns and even Kings? Maybe in such position another decisive factor (let's say imbalance) is decides the battle. Maybe if you put this position into chess program you will see +10.0 or more points? <Material even> .Does it have any sense in such position? Maybe it is good idea to talk about <Material even> when the position is almost equal.
Sep-29-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  Domdaniel: <BOSTER> ... if I may ... I asked a similar question once and got interesting replies from <dzechiel> and others. As I understand it, the 'material even' routine is simply a way to check and list the basics before getting down to analysis. It may not always be relevant or useful -- but it's a good habit, and good habits should be maintained regardless.

I'm not half so organized myself, but I respect those who do it this way.

Sep-29-09  ZUGZWANG67: The ideas of a discovery, fork and back rank mate appear clearly here. It only remains to find the correct move order.

And 23.Rxf6, with the threat of 24.Rxf8 mate forces B to drop the Q, as 23. ...gxf6 24.Qxh5; 23. ...Rxf6 24.Nxf6+ gxf6 25.Qxh5; or 23. ...Bxf6 24.Nxf6+ Rxf6 (24. ...gxf6) 25.Qxh5 win easily. But I don' t think that 23.Nf6+ (23. ...gxf6 24.Rxf6 Qe8) would do the job.

Time to check! (GULP...)

-----

Cool...

Sep-29-09  Summerfruit: Material is even.

23.Rxf6!

White threatens both 24.Rxf8# and 24.Qxh5, against which black has no reasonable defence.

Sep-29-09  johnlspouge: < <BOSTER> wrote: I want to ask players icluding <dzechiel> and [<johnlspouge>] [snip] Do you really think that this is [important] to know that the such position has the same amount pieces, pawns and even Kings? [snip] <Material even> .Does it have any sense in such position? >

I have a systematic process of analyzing chess positions, and I try to share the process by writing my stream of consciousness, relatively unedited.

I agree: <Material even> is irrelevant if mate is in the air, but usually mate is not in the air. A player needs more than a P to win if he is already down material, and frequently, mistakes are posted on the <assumption> that material is equal. As a seasoned skeptic, I try to assume nothing.

"Hypotheses non fingo."
Isaac Newton.

< <Domdaniel> wrote: [snip] It may not always be relevant or useful -- but it's a good habit, and good habits should be maintained regardless.

I'm not half so organized myself, but I respect those who do it this way. >

Hi, <Domdaniel>. You and <A.G. Argent> readily come to mind as able to maintain a constant creative disorganization. I find myself envious of the ability at times, but only in the most admiring way.

Sep-29-09  Patriot: <BOSTER> It is a good habit to note material differences before solving puzzles, unlike OTB where you're already aware that you're a pawn up for example.

I have occasionally fallen into a trap of not taking note of these differences thinking white is winning the exchange, for example, when really he's only getting the exchange back or perhaps even losing. It seems that most of the time it doesn't matter though because usually seeing that 'winning the exchange', for example, is the most that can be achieved.

Sep-29-09  Patriot: <BOSTER> Material differences can have tremendous impact on the direction you take in analysis. For instance in a situation where white has a queen, a knight, and two pawns vs. black's rook and three pawns. It may be best to play 1.QxR! PxQ, leaving white with a simple win. Materially it doesn't seem sound to trade a queen for rook, but since white was already up in material it simplifies into an easy win with no complications. Of course this is position-dependent, but hopefully you understand the jist.
Sep-29-09
Premium Chessgames Member
  fm avari viraf: Who cares for the Queen, I want the King's head & so White plays 23.Rxf6! Black cannot play 23...Qxe2 since 24.Rxf8# & any other move loses, hence shake hands.
Sep-29-09  antharis: 23. Rxf6.

23... gxf6/Bxf6/Rxf6 looses the Queen.
23... Qxe2 24. Rxf8 mate.
And if Black plays 23... Qe8 then 24. d7 which threatens winning at least the rook by getting a new Q.

I think blacks best move is to accept the loss of the Queen and play f.ex. 23...gxf6

Nice one. Time to check.

Sep-29-09  wals: 22....f5 (+ 1.22) would have kept Black in the game. The text move Qh5 (+13.20) was suicide.
Sep-29-09  WhiteRook48: 23 Rxf6 was pretty obvious
Sep-29-09  DarthStapler: Got it
Sep-29-09  A Karpov Fan: nice and easy today
Sep-29-09  dzechiel: <BOSTER: I want to ask players including <dzechiel> ... Do you really think that this is important to know that the such position has the same amount pieces, pawns and even Kings?>

Well, yeah, I do. I don't think that anyone would argue that once you have a significant material advantage, that your strategy should switch from trying to obtain even more material to that of simplifying and consolidating the position. This is the easiest and safest way to bring home the full point.

Yes, there will be exceptions (and you should be aware of those possibilities), but the material balance in any position is fundamental to determining the proper course of action.

Jump to page #    (enter # from 1 to 3)
search thread:   
< Earlier Kibitzing  · PAGE 2 OF 3 ·  Later Kibitzing>

NOTE: Create an account today to post replies and access other powerful features which are available only to registered users. Becoming a member is free, anonymous, and takes less than 1 minute! If you already have a username, then simply login login under your username now to join the discussion.

Please observe our posting guidelines:

  1. No obscene, racist, sexist, or profane language.
  2. No spamming, advertising, duplicate, or gibberish posts.
  3. No vitriolic or systematic personal attacks against other members.
  4. Nothing in violation of United States law.
  5. No cyberstalking or malicious posting of negative or private information (doxing/doxxing) of members.
  6. No trolling.
  7. The use of "sock puppet" accounts to circumvent disciplinary action taken by moderators, create a false impression of consensus or support, or stage conversations, is prohibited.
  8. Do not degrade Chessgames or any of it's staff/volunteers.

Please try to maintain a semblance of civility at all times.

Blow the Whistle

See something that violates our rules? Blow the whistle and inform a moderator.


NOTE: Please keep all discussion on-topic. This forum is for this specific game only. To discuss chess or this site in general, visit the Kibitzer's Café.

Messages posted by Chessgames members do not necessarily represent the views of Chessgames.com, its employees, or sponsors.
All moderator actions taken are ultimately at the sole discretion of the administration.

This game is type: CLASSICAL. Please report incorrect or missing information by submitting a correction slip to help us improve the quality of our content.

Home | About | Login | Logout | F.A.Q. | Profile | Preferences | Premium Membership | Kibitzer's Café | Biographer's Bistro | New Kibitzing | Chessforums | Tournament Index | Player Directory | Notable Games | World Chess Championships | Opening Explorer | Guess the Move | Game Collections | ChessBookie Game | Chessgames Challenge | Store | Privacy Notice | Contact Us

Copyright 2001-2025, Chessgames Services LLC