Puzzles November 2009

This month’s puzzles take a couple of positions from recent events and show what might have been.

One of the lessons that trainers repeat time and again is give yourself choices.  Don’t just play the first move that comes into your head, even when it looks great!  Consider at least 2 moves and choose the best – if you have time, all checks, captures and threats should be looked at.

It takes only a few seconds additional thought to consider another move and it will gain you so many points. 

Take a look at the following positions and see if you can guess:

(a) What was played

(b) What could have been played

Position 1 - Sussex vs. Surrey U14/140 Match – Robin playing Black for Sussex

Robin had played really well to reach this position, conjuring up a great attack in the ending with his Rooks and King.

Position 2 - Under 9 Championships – Scott vs. Oskar

Here are 2 of our star Under 7s in action.....

This is a position from Hector Huser vs. Toby Harris in the Under 12s at the Worth GP on 24th October.
It was a very high standard game; Hector has won a pawn but Toby has whipped up a big attack - notice how the Bishops are on different colour squares and this favours the attacker.
Hector now unleashed the tricky  1. C4+
How should Toby get out of this discovered check ?
Moving the King back is hopeless as Rd8 mates but there are no less than 5 blocking moves to consider:
A) g7-g6
B) Rg7-g6
C) Rg5-f5
D) f7-f5
E) Qf4-f5
Have a look at them all (without moving the pieces) and try and rank them from best to worst.
Clue - 1 gives Black a winning position; 1 leaves things level; another leaves Black worse off but fighting; 1 is just bad; and the remaining choice is just hopeless for Black.

SOLUTION

Black is a pawn down but has defended well.

He has his rook behind the white passed pawn, and with careful play he can draw.

What would you play if you were black?

SOLUTION