Mar-24-23
 | | perfidious: A curious POTD for a Friday, as the first move readily suggests itself, and the game continuation is long, but not at all difficult to find. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | jrredfield: Very interesting. I vacillated between 32 Nxa7 and 32 Na5+. It appears they are both very strong, perhaps of similar value. However, after more analysis, it appears that 32 Ra1 is the killer move. 32 Ra1 Ra8 33 Ne5 Kd6 34 Nxf7+ or maybe 32 Ra1 Kc7 33 Ne5 Kd6 34 Nxf7+. It appears that quite a few moves for White are winning here. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | jrredfield: As long as White keeps the R on the back rank to protect against a back-rank mate threat, it seems like almost any move will work. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | Brenin: I think I would have played 32 Ra1, more or less forcing 32 ... Ra8, and then 33 Na5+, e.g. 33 ... Kc8 (or Kc7) 34 Qc6+ Kd8 35 Qxa8+. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | Mayankk: I saw the 32 Nxa7 idea as the Knight can't be taken ( 32 ... Kxa7 33 Qxb6 and mate follows) while the b6 pawn gets weakened and becomes a target for future tactics. The only potential reply was 32 ... Qe6, after which 33 Ra1 readily suggests itself. I saw til 33 .. Ra8 34 Qa6+ Kb8 35 Rb1 and mate seemed only a matter of time. The other line I thought of was 32 Na5+ Kb8 33 Qc6 Qe7 etc. But 32 ... Nxa7 just seemed to be more to-the-point and no-nonsense kind of move. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | mel gibson: That is no easy victory for White.
Stockfish 15 says White wins _ mate in 30
and chooses a different move from the text:
32. Ra1
(32. Ra1 (Rb1-a1 Rh8-a8 Nc6-a5+ Kb7-c7 Qb5-c6+ Kc7-d8 Qc6xa8+
Kd8-e7 Qa8xa7+ Ke7-f8 Qa7-a8+ Kf8-e7 Na5-c6+ Ke7-f6 Qa8-d8+ Kf6-g6 Qd8-d6+
f7-f6 Nc6-e7+ Kg6-h5 Qd6-a3 d5-d4 Qa3-h3+ Kh5-g5 Qh3-g3+ Qe4-g4 f2-f4+
Kg5-h5 Qg3-d3 g7-g6 Qd3xd4 Qg4-e6 Ne7-d5 g6-g5 Nd5xf6+ Kh5-g6 f4xg5 Qe6-c6
Qd4-d3+ Kg6xg5 Nf6xh7+ Kg5-h6 Qd3-h3+ Kh6-g6 Nh7-f8+ Kg6-g5 Qh3-e3+ Kg5-g4
h2-h3+ Kg4-h5 Ra1-a7 Qc6-g6 Ra7-h7+ Qg6xh7 Qe3-e5+ Kh5-h6 Qe5-f6+ Kh6-h5
g2-g4+) +M30/52 862) |
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| Mar-24-23 | | Allderdice83: I didn't even think of 32. Nxa7. I considered 32. Na5+, but 32 ... Kb8 seems to scuttle it, at least in terms of a quick win, since 33. Qc6??? (2 aren't enough) or 33. Qa6??? both allow 33 ... Qxb1+ with mate next move. My move would have been 32. Ra1. Then ...
32 ... a5 33. Nxa5+ is easily winning for White, eg., 33 ... Kc7 34. Qc6+ Kd8 35. Nb7+ Ke7 36. Qd6+ Ke8 37. Qd8# 32 ... a6 33. Na5+ Ka7 34. Nb3! Qc4 35. Rxa6+ Kb7 (or Kb8, doesn't matter) 36. Qxb6+ Kc8 37. Ra7! and the knight on b3 takes away the threat of 37 ... Qc1#. White will next play Qb7+ followed by Qd7#, or if 37 ... Qg7, then 38. Qc7#. 32 ... Ra8 33. Na5+ Kb8 34. Qc6! as the rook is no longer en prise. After that, 34 ... Qe7 35. Qxd5 (threatening 36. Nc6+ winning the queen) Qc7 36. Re1 Qc8 37. Qd6+ Qc7 38. Re8#, or 34 ... bxa5 35. Rc1 threatens 36. Qc8# or 36. Qc7#. The only defense is to give up the queen for the rook with 35 ... Qc4, but after 36. Rxc4 dxc4 37. Qxc4 it's an easily won endgame for White. 32 ... Kc7 33. Nxa7 should win easily for White, eg. 33 ... d4 34. Rc1+ Kb7 35. Qd7+ Ka8 36. Nb5 Qb7 37. Ra1+ Kb8 38. Qd6+ Kc8 39. Rc1+ |
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| Mar-24-23 | | Allderdice83: <or if 37 ... Qg7, then 38. Qc7#.> oops, meant to say, "or if 37 ... Qg4, then 38. Qc7#." |
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| Mar-24-23 | | mel gibson: Just for fun - I forced Stockfish to follow the text move 32. Nxa7 32. Nxa7 Qe6
(32. .. Qe6 (Qe4-e6 Rb1-a1 Kb7-c7 Qb5-a6 Rh8-e8 h2-h3 Re8-b8
Ra1-c1+ Kc7-d7 Qa6-b5+ Kd7-e7 Na7-c6+ Ke7-f6 Nc6xb8 Kf6-g5 Qb5-d3 Qe6-e4
Qd3-g3+ Kg5-h6 Nb8-c6 g7-g5 Qg3-a3 Kh6-g7 Qa3-a1+ Kg7-h6 Nc6-e5 d5-d4
Ne5xf7+ Kh6-g6 Nf7-d6 Qe4-d5 Nd6-e8 h7-h5 Qa1-a7 Qd5-e5 Qa7xb6+ Kg6-f7)
-10.91/33 404)
score for Black -10.91 depth 33.
Given that engines are normally programmed to resign
if the score is more than 10 against them
I would say that we could also consider the text move
as good as a checkmate. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | King.Arthur.Brazil: Maybe many will find: 32. Nxa7 Kxa7 33. Qxb6+ Ka8 34. Ra1+ and mate next. If Black refuses with 32...Qd4 33. Nc6 and the ♕ will not protect b6 and Black game is ruined. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | King.Arthur.Brazil: In the game, after 38. Qxb6+ the remainder would be: 38...Qb7 39. Nc6+ Kc8 40. Qd8#. For <Brenin>'s move, I wondered: 32. Ra1 Ra8 33. Na5+ Kb8 34. Qc6 Qe7 35. Qxd5 and Black is in a zugzwang position too. It seems POTD isn't so
dificult at all. Thanks. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | Refused: There are several ways to put the game to rest. a) 32.Na5!?+ Kb8 33.Ra1 looks reasonably comfortable b) 32.Ra1 is an improved version as black rooks ends up on the rather uncomfortable square a8 32...Ra8 33.Na5+ looks reasonably dead c) 32.Nxa7 is the move I found most pleasing. 32...Qe6 is virtually forced as that'S the only way to cover both b6 and d7. 33.Ra1 and the Queen will land land on a6 which should be mate before too long. The endgame after 32...Qxb1 33.Qxb1 Kxa7 34.Qa2+ Kb8 35.Qxd5 looks easy enough as the black pawns just start to drop off right away, and black is never in time to set up some sorta fortress on the kingside. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | agb2002: White has a knight for three pawns.
The pawn on a7 protects b6. This suggests 32.Nxa7: A) 32... Kxa7 33.Qxb6+ Ka8 34.Qa6(b7)#.
B) 32... Qd4 33.Nc6 wins (33... Qc5 34.Qxc5).
C) 32... Qg6 33.Qd7+ Ka8 (33... Ka6 34.Ra1#; 33... Kb8 34.Nc6+ wins) 34.Qxd5+ C.1) 34... Kxa7 35.Ra1+ Kb8 36.Ra8+ Kc7 37.Ra7+ and mate in two. C.2) 34... Kb8 35.Nc6+ Kc7 (35... Kb7 36.Ne7+ wins) 36.Rc1 is winning (36... Qh6 37.Qxf7+). D) 32... Qe6 33.Ra1
D.1) 33... Qf6 34.Qd7+ wins.
D.2) 33... Ra8 34.Qa6+
D.2.a) 34... Kc7 35.Rc1+
D.2.a.i) 35... Kb8 36.Rc8+ Qxc8 37.Qxb6+ Qb7 38.Nc6+ Kc8 39.Qd8#. D.2.a.ii) 35... Kd7 36.Qb7+ wins.
D.2.a.iii) 35... Kd8 36.Qb7 wins decisive material. D.2.a.iv) 35... Kd6 36.Qxb6+ is winning.
D.2.b) 34... Kb8 35.Rb1 is winning (35... Rxa7 36.Rxb6+; 35... Kc7 36.Rc1+ transposes to D.2.a). |
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| Mar-24-23 | | stacase: I got the first 4 moves, but I didn't see that 37.Rc8+ would win. I chose 37.Nc6+ instead hoping to somehow snag Black's Queen. |
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Mar-24-23
 | | scormus: Difficult, I thought, to find the right move.
I went for 32 Na5, which I felt should win, and maybe it does. But it would have been stronger after 32 Ra1 Ra8, and I think also not as good as the text.Often I get the first one or two moves and then lose the way. Today was the other way round, even if it was all forced. There was a nice 4-move
mate if B hadn't resigned |
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Mar-24-23
| | scormus: Ooops, .... even if it wasn't all forced |
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| Mar-24-23 | | GlennOliver: 32. Na5+ also wins, albeit not as elegantly as the given text, e.g. 32. Na5+ Kb8 33. Ra1 Re8 34. h4 Qe6 35. Nc6+ Kc7 36. Nd4 Qe1+ 37. Rxe1 Rxe1+ 38. Kh2 f6 39. Qxd5 a5 40. Nb5+ Kb8 41. Qd7 Rc1 42. Nd6 Rc7 43. Qd8+ Ka7 44. Qxc7+ Ka6 45. Qb7# |
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Mar-24-23
 | | chrisowen: I flick v pad it's honor quibble juggle Nxa7 accede fag abc claw it's ah barb bide axe Nxa7 duff Ra1 bot. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | thegoodanarchist: Shattered Glass |
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Mar-24-23
| | perfidious: Would a rough translation of the foregoing run: <Quibble over juggling the line Nxa7 before acceding to that move, then lighting a fag whilst reflecting, but coming to the conclusion that the proposed line is ABC straightforward>? |
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Mar-24-23
| | chrisowen: Summer-house blues |
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| Mar-24-23 | | ChessHigherCat: I went for Nxa7 right away because there are so many mates that involve forcing the king to take a knight. It also puts huge pressure on b6 with the threat of Qc6+ followed by Ra1+ and rook mates in the corner, but it was a bit tricker than I anticipated.
I played through the first part of the game first and saw that Becker was a lot stronger than I ever was but when I noticed on his profile that he beat Tarrash and Euwe and drew Rubinstein and Grunfeld I didn't feel so bad, |
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Mar-24-23
 | | Check It Out: Here's my line, which I haven't seen on the board yet: 32. Na5+ Kb8 33. Qd7 threatening mate. Black will have to advance his d-pawn but then lose his queen to Nc6 to avoid immediate mate on a7. Beautiful. 33...Qxb1#
click for larger view |
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Mar-24-23
 | | al wazir: 36. Nb5+ Kd7 37. Qb7+ Kd8 38. Qxa8+ would have left white a piece up after black's loose ♙s are removed. Alternatively, if 36...Kb8 37. Qxa8+ Kxa8 38. Nc7+, white has ♖ vs. ♙+♙. |
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| Mar-24-23 | | Granny O Doul: At 36 I went for Nb5+ Kb8 37. Qa8+.
And yes, an easy Friday, even if Stockfish needs 30 moves to force mate. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 37.Rc8+