Chess thread

[curnow]

my first thought was Ke3 but it dont work , think the queen needs to move to a dark square to cover black playing Kc1 , somehow plan to take the c3 pawn with check

[McGlashan]

Obviously Tal beat me to it.

These puzzles do much more for your game than any opening book will.

[Rexas]

So, Tal, this is what I've got so far, although I haven't gone through all the variations yet, I just want to know if I'm on the right lines. I don't want to move the Queen first, because I can't see a sequence of events that gets this to work. So, I want to start with ke3. If black then plays kc1, we play qf1, kc2, qd3, kc1, ke2. We can then occupy d1, and if this seems ok then I think we can build from there (I'll finish this off if that's the right sort of thinking). been a long time since I last did anything like this!

[Tal]

So, Tal, this is what I've got so far, although I haven't gone through all the variations yet, I just want to know if I'm on the right lines. I don't want to move the Queen first, because I can't see a sequence of events that gets this to work. So, I want to start with ke3. If black then plays kc1, we play qf1, kc2, qd3, kc1, ke2. We can then occupy d1, and if this seems ok then I think we can build from there (I'll finish this off if that's the right sort of thinking). been a long time since I last did anything like this!

Keep at it, Rexas.

Just be wary that, after delivering check with Qf1, black didn't have to move his king; he can move the pawn in the way and queen it. You won't be able to win that, I'm afraid.

Is there any way you can get moving the king first to work? If so, you're nearly there; If not, you know that you must move the queen first.

[HutchGF]

Can anyone provide a link to some software I can play around with this puzzle on. I don't even have a chess board in the house anymore! I reckon I can solve it if I can have a play around with it.

[Tal]

Can anyone provide a link to some software I can play around with this puzzle on. I don't even have a chess board in the house anymore! I reckon I can solve it if I can have a play around with it.

You can get Shredder on your 'phone. Available in App and Play Stores. Can turn the engine off for puzzles.

[HutchGF]

Thanks, I'll get right on that.

[HutchGF]

Think I have a solution. Don't want to give it away but I've sent it on a pm to Tal.

Really enjoyed having a play around with this and getting the brain cells working. Thanks.

[Tal]

HE'S HIT THE BEANS ON TOAST!

(That's the post for those who don't speak Paul Merson)

We are very close to a solution. Get cracking, guys!

[theprawnidentity]

It's ok, I'm here now.  Give me half an hour.....

[curnow]

been messing around with Qf2 & it dont seem to work as kc1 , Qe3 .. Kb2  3.Qb6

Qh2 after Kc1 Queen goes to .............. !!!!!!!

[Tal]

While we have some people still studying the puzzle - and remember, what we have established we are looking for is a way of getting both the king and the queen to cover d1 - here's a tournament report from a player who visited a Mexican comp. You can see that there were some pretty odd rules being employed. Just imagine what the 2+2 thread would have been, if it were a poker comp!  

http://en.chessbase.com/post/chess-beach-and-controversy

[Tal]

I have very limited availability for the next twelve hours or so (busy couple of days at work ahead) so feel free to have a play with the puzzle and I'll post something either tonight or tomorrow.

[Honeybadger]

Okay Tal... I give up. I demand an answer!

[Tal]

Are you kibitzing comfortably? Then I shall begin...

Some technique required on this one:



White to play and win.

Compiler is @LeftDarkling (Alexander George).

We are looking for a sequence of moves that stop Black from queening his pawns. If he gets there, we are drawing at best, so see if you can get sneaky and wriggle into a winning position.

Ok, so we have from our discussions the makings of a plan: we need to stop Black from queening that d-pawn and, to do that, we either need to chase the king away or get both our king and the queen to cover d1.

We also know that getting the queen to a4 would be ideal, because it would check black and allow us to get our king to e2, whilst covering the queening square twice.

If we move the king to e2 first, black plays d1 = Q and we can't win. If we move it to e3, he plays Kc1 and we can't stop him queening next move.

So, we move the queen.

1.Qg6+ won't help us because it is Kc1 again. Anywhere that isn't on the second rank will allow black to queen, so we have to keep the pin. Remember that. It is a theme.

Aronian suggested 1.Qe2, with the idea that, after Kc1, you can play 2.Qe3, which pins the pawn again. If the king moves back to c2, we check on e4, then over to f4 to renew the pin and, finally, we swing across to a4 and win, once we bring our own king in to e2.

Brilliant.

Only it doesn't quite work.