Jul-22-14
 | | mjmorri: Very nice! |
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Jun-22-16
 | | Phony Benoni: Whether it's a puzzle or not, checks must be given their due respect. So we take a look aft what happens after <24.Nf6+>. Now, the good news for Black is that he can decline the knight without losing his queen. The bad news is that the bad news is so bad that the knight must be taken. So <24...gxf6 25.Qg6+ Kh8 26.Bxf7> looks like the idea. The threat of 27.Qg8# means the Bf8 must move, and it has to keep the h6 pawn under observation. So <26...Bg7 27.exf6 Rg8> and we can start snapping material, but our rooks want to play too. So maybe <28.fxg7+ Rxg7 28.Qxh6+ Rh7 29.Qf6+ Rg7 30.Rf3> and everyone is happy? Except maybe Black. I hope. |
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Jun-22-16
 | | Penguincw: Missed the Tuesday puzzle, but can I get this one.
Uh, nope. I considered 24.Nf6+ gxf6, but didn't see it getting anywhere. I also considered 24.Ng5 hxg5 25.fxg5 Re7 26.Qg6, hoping to pile on f7, but I don't think it works out. I usually like playing games where I get a bishop to c4 or c5 (ex. Italian Game, Four Knights Opening, etc.), so I should be used to this kind of pattern... |
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| Jun-22-16 | | Eduardo Leon: <24.♘f6+ gxf6 25.♕g6+ ♔h8 26.♗xf7 ♗g7 27.exf6> And black has to make huge material concessions to avoid immediate mate. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | Razgriz: Nf6+ then gxf6 (any other move loses a rook).
Err, this seemed to be not getting anywhere. It took a while to see that the bishop and queen are in powerful diagonals and that the queen can check safely because the pawn is pinned. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | diagonalley: at first glance, black does not appear to be in any imminent danger... WRONG! (very illustrative puzzle) |
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| Jun-22-16 | | stst: One line:
24.Nf6+ gxf6 (else Kh8, Qh7#)
25.Qg6+ (f7 pawn pinned) Kh8
26.Bxf7 (don't go Qxf6+ else Bg7 and White has no good continuation) Bg7
27.exf6 (threatening Qxg7#) Rg8
28.Re7 (harass Q and exert pressure) Qd1 (if White RxQ, falls into trap, RxR#)
29.Kg1 supports R almost any move
30.Bxg8 Rxg8
31.fxg7+ Rxg7
32.Qg7#
other variations / shorter course possible |
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Jun-22-16
 | | agb2002: White has a bishop and a knight for the bishop pair. The pawn on f7 is pinned so that the square g6 is momentarily accessible. Therefore, 24.Nf6+ gxf6 (24... Kh8 25.Qh7#) 25.Qg6+ Kh8 (25... Bg7 26.exf6 and mate in two) 26.Bxf7 Bg7 27.exf6: A) 27... Bf8 28.Qg8#.
B) 27... Bxf6 28.Qxh6#.
C) 27... Rg8 28.fxg7+ Rxg7 29.Qxh6+ Rh7 30.Qf6+ Rg7
C.1) 31.Qxd8+ Qxd8 32.Re8+ Qxe8 33.Bxe8 + - [2P].
C.2) 31.Re7 Qd3 32.Bc4
C.2.a) 32... Qg6 33.Qxg6 Rxg6 34.Bf7 Rg7 35.Rxb7 Rf8 36.Rxa7 Rxf7 37.Rxf7 Rxf7 38.g4 + - [3P]. C.2.b) 32... Qh7 33.Rxg7 Qxg7 34.Qxd8+ wins.
C.3) 31.Re5
C.3.a) 31... Qxf7 32.Rh5+ Kg8 33.Qxd8+ Qf8 34.Rh8+ wins. C.3.b) 31... Qg4 32.Qxd8+ wins.
C.3.c) 31... Kh7 32.Rh5#.
C.3.d) 31... Qd1 32.Rh5+ Qxh5 33.Qxd8+ Kh7 34.Bxh5 wins. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | AlicesKnight: Got the main variations, <agb2000> and <stst> say it all (thanks). |
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Jun-22-16
 | | Once: Interesting. The puzzle isn't too hard once you see it, but there's an optical illusion at work here which makes it a little harder than normal. Here's our starting position:
click for larger viewWe start looking for possible starting moves. Qg6 almost certainly won't feature because it's currently impossible. Our own knight is in the way. We would also not spend long with Bxf7 because it is twice guarded. And we won't even glance at Qxh6. The key move 24. Nf6+ changes all that. It forces 24... gxf6 (otherwise black loses his queen). It makes these otherwise impossible moves possible. I have a theory that continuation moves are easier to see if they were possible at the start of the combination. By contrast, continuation moves are harder to spot if they weren't possible from the beginning - a piece that has become pinned, a rook or queen lift that previously was previously blocked. I predict that this one will catch folks out today. The moral of the story is that we shouldn't assume that a move is possible or impossible simply because it used to be possible or impossible. Things change. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | YouRang: Not too hard once you make the following observations:
click for larger view
(1) Pf7 is pinned, thus not really guarding g3.
(2) Our Q is aimed at g3, if we get the N out of the way. (3) We can move the N out of the way forcefully with <24.Nf6+>, forking black's K+Q. Black must capture with the g7 pawn, <24...gxf6>. (4) Capturing with the g7 pawn exposes the K to <25.Qg3+> (see observation #1).
click for larger view
The rest falls into neatly into place. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | dfcx: Like everyone I saw
24.Nf6+ gxf6 25.Qg6+ Kh8 (Bg7 26.exf6 wins) 26.Bxf7 Bg7 (what else?) 27.exf6A. 27...Rg8 28.fxg7+ Rxg7 29.Qxh6+ Rh7 30.Qf6+ Rg7 31.Rf3 wins B. 27.... Bxf6 28.Qxh6#
C. 27...Qxf7 28.Qxf7 wins |
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| Jun-22-16 | | saturn2: If the Queen were on Qg6 it cannot be taken because the black pawn f7 is crosspinned. So 24 Nf6 was easy to find.
By the way I think 24 e6 also wins. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | gofer: A simple forced win...
<24 Nf6+ gxf6>
<25 Qg6+ Kh8>
<26 Bxf7 ...>
All moves are forced as the alternatives lead to a quick mate or loss of the black queen and more material than
the following line...
click for larger view...at this point black does have the choice to give up its queen, but the results don't look very palatable... <26 ... Qxf7>
<27 Qxf7 Re7>
<28 Qxf6+ ...>
If the king goes to g8, then the double rook lift looks terminal for black... <28 ... Kg8>
<29 Rf3 Rde8>
<30 Re3 ...>
click for larger viewIf the king goes to h7, then again the rook lift looks the most effective way to
silence black...
<28 ... Kh7>
<29 Rf3 Rde8>
<33 Rg3 ...>
click for larger view |
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| Jun-22-16 | | catlover: Got it. For some reason, this puzzle was easier for me that Tuesday's, which I did not get. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | CHESSTTCAMPS: Material is essentially even, with white having very well-placed minor pieces that are much superior to black's passive bishop pair. The pin on black's f-pawn allows the white queen to get to g6, a familiar attacking pattern against a king-side castle. Therefore, 24.Nf6+! gxf6 (Kh8 26.Qh7#) 25.Qg6+ is the forcing sequence to investigate: A. 25... Bg7 26.exf6 Qg4 27.Qxg4 (any) 28.Qxg7#
B. 25... Kh8 26.Bxf7 Bg7 27.exf6 Rg8 28.Bxg8 (not 28.fxg7+ Rxg7 29.Qh6+ Rh7 30.Qf6+ Rg7 31.Re3?? Qxf7) Kxg8 29.Qxg7+ is a won endgame. B.1 26... Bf(other) 27.Qxh6#
B.2 26... Qxf7 27.Qxf7 wins
B.3 26... Qg4 26.Qxg4 wins
B.4 26... other 27.Qg8#
B.5 27... Bxf6 28.Qxh6#
B.6 27... Bf8 28.Qg8#
Time for review... |
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Jun-22-16
 | | kevin86: The key is how white penetrates with the queen thanks to the pin of black's f-pawn. |
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| Jun-22-16 | | morfishine: <Once> The reason we don't glance at <24.Qxh6> is its simply not possible In any case, "position analysis" or more accurately described here as "Pattern Recognition" is a skill acquired by addressing and solving hundreds of tactical problems over time. One learns to recognize patterns. Skill improves sharply when one becomes able to combine different patterns in one problem enabling them to force winning positions If one is stuck at a certain rating, plateauing if you will, perhaps this individual can handle or grasp any 1 pattern, but has a problem incorporating more than 1 "pattern" into their analytical cognitive framework. Thats a possible thought That seems to be what this problem is all about
And of course, thats why I'm laughing and crying at the same time :) ***** |
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Jun-23-16
| | patzer2: Fairly easy Wednesday with the 24.Nf6+ gxf6 25. Qg6+  clearance and check mating pattern.Checking the game against my solution, I found myself still calculating the final resigned position after 26. Bf7, anticipating 26...Bg7 27. exf6 with a mating attack. For a Black improvement, the computer suggestion 15...Nxe5 16. Nxe5 Qxe5 = looks good. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 24.Nf6+