Actual chess

Yes, your eyes do not deceive you. A few positions from some of my relatively recent games. Nothing tricky or deep about these, to get you going on a Monday.

1. Black played …N7f6. Is this a reasonable move for him?

2. Black to play. The Black player (me) failed to find a move which picks up material. Don’t be like me and figure it out.

3. White to play. How do you like g4 for him here? If not, what would you recommend?

4. White to play. Presumably, Black had seen this position when he allowed himself to go down a Knight for a Pawn. Probably the idea was that after the Queen moves, Black can play Bxd4+ with pressure on b2 and a bit of time to make his position more hale. How should White counter?

Answers (man, I hope these are right)

1. 1. … N7f6? loses a piece to 2. Nxf6, since the Knight on d5 is now pinned. 2. … Qxf6 and 2. … Kxf6 (if you’re thinking outside the box) are both followed up with 3. c4.

2. 1. … b4 2. axb4 cxb4 3. Na2 Nxe4. Black’s ability to play Qb6+ at some point gives him the time needed to tidy up the position a bit.

Nor does trying to attack the Black Knight (2. e5 bxc3 3. exf6 Bxf6) prevent the loss of a Pawn.

3. If your name is Derek and this looks vaguely familiar, that’s because it’s from that G/15 we played a a little while back.

I did play g4 here, and must have been deluded or time-strapped to think it was a reasonable option. 1. g4? fxg4 2. Qxf7+ Bxf7 and Black’s picked up an extra Pawn.

Instead, 1. Rf1.

4. This is one of those positions where the “sacrifice” is obvious enough so that it doesn’t deserve an exclamation point. 1. Rxf6 gxf6 2. Qxf6 and a resignation might not even be premature here (although at the class level, there’s a fair enough chance White might mess it up.)

December 21st, 2009 4 comments
Posted by Donnie Filed under Chess