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| May-11-13 | | Abdel Irada: <<•> "Rank" pawn-snatching <•>> In which Black embarks on a combination which, with best play, wins a single pawn, and all is predicated on the masked weakness of the enemy back rank. Following is the main line. There are deviations, but they seem to be relatively unimportant. <<•> 18. ...Nxd4! > Black can maintain equality or perhaps a slight positional edge with 18. ...Ncb4 and other such quiet moves, but we're angling for an advantage. <<•> 19. Rxd4, Nxc3 > White's rook is undefended and his queen is attacked with check. Taking on d8 doesn't work: (a) 20. Rxd8, Nxe2† 21. Kf1, Rfxd8, and White has lost a rook; if he tries 22. Kxe2, Rxc1 is convincing. <<•> 20. bxc3, Qxd4 > This move "works" because of White's undefended back rank. <<•> 21. cxd4 ... > There's nothing better. After (b) 21. Bd2, Qd5, Black is the exchange and a pawn ahead. <<•> 21. ...Rxc1†22. Qf1, Rfc8  >
Black regains queen for rook and enters the endgame only a pawn to the good. However, his two bishops are quite strong, so the second player's advantage is clear if not winning. ∞ |
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May-11-13
 | | pittpanther: <<dick50 I tried 18 ... N(d5)b4 19 Bxc2 Nxa2 20 Nxa2 Qd5, recovering piece on a2 because of the with mate threat . But could not find an effective continuation after 21 Qf3>> What about playing 21... Rxc2? This leaves black up the exchange. |
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| May-11-13 | | diagonalley: <chrisowen> are you by any chance related to the late (great) professor stanley unwin(?) |
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May-11-13
 | | agb2002: <pittpanther: <<dick50 I tried 18 ... N(d5)b4 19 Bxc2 Nxa2 20 Nxa2 Qd5, recovering piece on a2 because of the with mate threat . But could not find an effective continuation after 21 Qf3>> What about playing 21... Rxc2? This leaves black up the exchange.> After 18... Ndb5 19.Bxc2 Nxa2 20.Bb3 Nxc1 21.Bxe6+ Kh8 22.Rxc1 White is an exchange down for pawn but there is the double threat Bxc8 and Nf7+. |
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| May-11-13 | | cyclon: Now, this one was very fine and also 'very difficult' puzzle at least in my view. My prefatory move today is 18. -Nxd4 ( my line(s) maybe on the wrong track altogether, but this is the best I found today since f.e. 18. -Na3 19. Ra1 , or 18. -Ndb4 19. d5!? White gets things messed up. Straight mistake is 18. -Rxc3 19. bxc3 Nxc3 20. Qxc2 and Black just loses a piece ). After 18. -Nxd4 I propose four 'main'-line:
1.) 19. Qe1(!) ( in my view relatively the best - 19. Rxd4? is an outright mistake; 19. -Nxc3 and either 20. Rxd8 Nxe2+, or 20. bxc3 Qxd4 both loses material for White )
19. -Nxc3 20. bxc3 Qd5 ( threatens mate on g2X) and now either 21. f3 ( in my view better than 21. f4, because it takes e4-square from the Black Bishop )
21. -Qb3 and NOW best for White seems to be 22. Bd2 ( 22. Bb2 Nc2 ) 22. -Nc6 and Black's got pawn and the bind, whereas f.e. 22. Rb2 Qxc3 23. Qxc3 ( 23. Rxb6? Nxf3+ followed by 24. Bc5+ wins material for Black ) 23. -Rxc3 and NOW 24. Ba2 Ba3 / 24. Rbd2 Nb3 / 24. Bd2 Rb3 / 24. Be3? Rxe3 25. Rxb6 [ 25. Rxd4 Bc5 ] 25. -Rxe5 wins / 24. Nd7? Rd8 / 24. Bf4 Rd8 and besides material edge, there's just too many threats against White. These are just some illustrations. In this line another sub-line is after 18. -Nxd4 19. Qe1 ( if 19. Qf1 straight, Black just captures on c3 winning another pawn ) 19. -Nxc3 20. bxc3 Qd5 21. Qf1 and NOW 21. -Rxc3 ( 21. -Qxe5 33. cxd4 gives White some more counterchances ) Black has won another pawn because f.e. 22. Be3 ( on 22. Bd2/ Bb2 comes 22. -Ne2+ 23. Kh1 Qxe5 should be decisive edge ) 22. -Bc5 23. Rad2 Qxe5 24. Bxd4 Bxd4 25. Rxd4 Bd5 with decisive advantage for Black. Then: 2.) ( 18. -Nxd4 ) 19. Qd3 and NOW 19. -Nb3 and Black's got the edge ( 19. -Nxc3 20. bxc3 Be4?!, or 19. -Bc5?! ) . In my view 19. -Nb3 is the simplest way to keep the pawn and good game. 3.) ( 18. -Nxd4 ) 19. Qd2 Nb3 20. Qc2 ( 20. Qe1 Bb4 and it looks like Black's bind produces some fruits in the near future ) 20. -Nxc1 21. Qxc1 ( 21. Rxc1 Nb4 wins the exchange ) 21. -Nxc3 22. bxc3 ( 22. Rxd8? Ne2+ ) 22. -Rxc3 wins another pawn. 4.) ( 18. -Nxd4 ) 19. Qh5? Rxc3 winning material. To me it seems that underlying theme here was just to get a narrow edge for Black. Very rich and complex position and maybe there is some flashing continuation in the game. |
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| May-11-13 | | cyclon: I got the game-line in my analysis, but didn't consider it the most serious defence for White. Black is pawn up with the Bishop-pair in the open end-game situation. It's not difficult to estimate whom the 'fate' favors taking into consideration, that in these puzzles are usually skilful players involved. |
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| May-11-13 | | M.Hassan: "Very Difficult"
Black to play 18...?
Equal forces.
18...........Ncb4
19.Ra3 Nf7
20.Nxf7 Kxf7!
21.Rb3 Qc7
22.Re1 Qc4
Supporting e6 while attacking the unprotected Rook.
23.Qxc4 Rxc4
24.Be3 Rd8
I don't know if I can claim to have solved todays puzzle or not because after 7 moves the sides are still equal and I can't see any obvious advantage on the sides of Black. Best to see how game continued. ===
Miles different |
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| May-11-13 | | Patriot: An interesting line is 18...Nxd4:
19.Rxd4 Rxc3
20.bxc3 Nxc3 21.Qd2 Qxd4 22.Qxd4 Ne2+ 
20.bxc3 Nxc3 21.Rxd8 Nxe2+ 22.Kf1 Rfxd8 23.Kxe2 Rxc1 20.Rxd5 Qxd5 21.Be4 Rxc1+
20.Qd2 -- Interesting but 20...Rc8 is ok I think.
I'm sure there's a lot more to this. |
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| May-11-13 | | Patriot: Oh well--After 22...Ne2+ I missed the fact the rook is guarding that square. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | Walter Glattke: Puzzle yes, but "petite combinaison" in Capablanca sense, no! |
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| Oct-16-19 | | Walter Glattke: 18.Bxc2 ++- |
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| Oct-16-19 | | Granny O Doul: Note that 63...h1Q fails to win after 64.Rg8+. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | patzer2: Had to flip the board and view it from the Black side to solve today's Wednesday (19...?) puzzle. White is a piece up, and the only move to give Black any advantage is 19...Nxc3! ∓ to-+ (-1.39 @ 31 ply, Stockfish 10). All others lose, including 19...Rxc3? 20. bxc3 Nxc3 21. Qe3 +- (+5.27 @ 26 ply, Stockfish 10) which I spent too long calculating. After giving up on 19...Rxc3?, I looked at 19...Nxc3 ∓ and calculated 19...Nxc3! 20. bxc3 Qxd4 ∓ as Black's game saving line. P.S.: White's game goes bad with 17. Nc3? allowing 17...Nc2! ∓ to -+ (-1.73 @ 28 ply, Stockfish 10). Instead, 17. Rf3 a5 18. Nc3 Nxc3 19. bxc3 ⩱ (-0.35 @ 30 ply, Stockfish 10) keeps the position just about level. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | Walter Glattke: 18.Bxc2 Ba3 19.Nxd5 2N for 1R |
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| Oct-16-19 | | saturn2: White has material plus: knight for pawn.
Black wins back a piece and will be still up the pawn by19...Nxc3 20. bxc3 (Rxd8 Nxe2+) Qxd4 21. cxd4 Rxc1+ 22. Qf1 Rxf1+ 23. Kxf1 Rc8 |
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| Oct-16-19 | | saturn2: <Walter Glattke> 18. Bxc2 Bxa3 19. Nxd5 <Qxd5> threatens mate on g2 and the bishop on a3 escapes yielding black advantage |
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| Oct-16-19 | | zb2cr: The move is 19. ... Nxc3. It's based on the fact that White's back rank is vulnerable, and White's Queen is <en prise>, so 20. Rxd8, Nxe2+; 21. Kf1, Rxc1+; 22. Kxe2, Rxd8 is not feasible. The best White can do is 20. bxc3, Qxd4!; 21. cxd4, Rxc1+; 22. Qf1, Rxf1+ and Black has gotten back the lost Knight and is a Pawn ahead. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | mel gibson: This problem should have been a Sunday puzzle.
It was beyond me.
I would have tried to move the Black Queen as it looked pinned.Stockfish 10 agrees with the actual game and says: 19... Nxc3
(19.
.. Nxc3 (♘d5xc3 b2xc3 ♕d8xd4 c3xd4 ♖c8xc1+ ♕e2-f1 ♖c1xf1+ ♔g1xf1 ♖f8-d8
♖a2-c2 ♗e7-f6 ♗b1-a2 ♗b7-d5 ♗a2xd5 ♖d8xd5 ♖c2-c8+ ♖d5-d8 ♖c8-c4 g7-g5 g2-g3
b6-b5 a4xb5 a6xb5 ♖c4-c5 ♖d8xd4 ♖c5xb5 h7-h5 ♖b5-c5 ♗f6xe5 ♖c5xe5 ♔g8-f7
♔f1-g2 ♔f7-f6 ♖e5-a5 ♖d4-b4 ♖a5-a6 h5-h4 ♖a6-a2 h4xg3 h2xg3 g5-g4 ♔g2-f1
♔f6-e5 ♖a2-e2+ ♔e5-d5 ♖e2-d2+ ♖b4-d4 ♖d2-a2 e6-e5 ♖a2-a5+ ♔d5-e4 ♔f1-e2
♖d4-b4 ♔e2-f1) +1.38/42 182)
score for Black +1.38 depth 42 |
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| Oct-16-19 | | Rama: I liked 19. ...Nxc3, 20. bxc3 Rxc3. White cannot take the black Queen or he winds up down a rook after the checks. So the pawn is won with minimal fuss. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | patzer2: <mel gibson: This problem should have been a Sunday puzzle.> Wouldn't be suprised to see 17...? or 18...? as a future weekend puzzle. Indeed, 17...Nc2! 18. Rc2 Nxd4! 19. Rxd4 -+ sets up today's difficult Wednesday (19...?) puzzle. |
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Oct-16-19
| | agb2002: Black has a pawn for a knight.
The rook on d4, the bishop on c1 and the white queen are defenseless. These details suggest 19... Nxc3: A) 20.Rxd8 Nxe2+ 21.Kf1 Rxc1+ 22.Kxe2 Rxd8 wins a rook and a piece (23.Ra1 Rdd1; 23.Bd3 Bf6). B) 20.bxc3 Qxd4 (20... Rxc3 21.Rd1 + -) 21.cxd4 (else loses an exchange) 21... Rxc1+ 22.Qf1 Rxf1+ 23.Kxf1 Rc8 -/ + [b+P vs N]. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | harpendenwoodpusher: I thought I had solved this with 19...Rxc3 20 bxc3 Nxc3 21 Qd3 (say) to protect the rook Qxd4 22 Qxd4 Ne2+ neglecting to see that bxc3 freed up the Rook at a2. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | TheaN: I originally saw the combination as presented by <harpendenwoodpusher>, but noticed in time that e2 is defended at that point. Then it's always 'switcheroo', so the knight goes first and the c-file pin becomes apparent. Black is not winning per se after 22.Qf1 but has a good game: here I was still pondering between taking immediately on f1 or play Rfc8, but also realized that this was no longer part of the combination. |
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| Oct-16-19 | | gars: A beautiful combination and a very good endgame! |
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| Oct-16-19 | | seneca16: What's wrong with Rxc3 followed by Nxc3? Seems to win the exchange. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 20...Qxd4