Comments for IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History http://nezhmet.wordpress.com Chess History, Opening Theory, and Anecdotes by Dr. Mark Ginsburg Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:00:29 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Coelacanth http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1448 Coelacanth Tue, 10 Nov 2009 03:00:29 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1448 Back to the first position--what about 5. Bd6 with the idea of maintaining the WK on e5? After 5.... Rb5 6. Bc5 it still looks like a fight. Back to the first position–what about 5. Bd6 with the idea of maintaining the WK on e5? After 5…. Rb5 6. Bc5 it still looks like a fight.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Andres D. Hortillosa http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1447 Andres D. Hortillosa Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:12:38 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1447 On Position 3, I thought the win there was much simpler as you pointed out. The key winning idea is to force the exchange of the minor pieces. In this instance, the black queen cannot protect the weak g6 so the bishop must take on h4. The white queen then will shepherd the c-pawn one square at a time to coronation. Black's king will not be able to catch the c-pawn if black decides to exchange queens, which is suicide. The resulting outside passer is the killer. I thought Position 1 is a harder puzzle. <em>Humans are usually allergic in puzzles to Q&P endings, preferring instead to solve things with the knight on the board or to win somehow with the c&b passers. That's what makes the solution so counter-intuitive for most. Try the killer Position 2.</em> On Position 3, I thought the win there was much simpler as you pointed out. The key winning idea is to force the exchange of the minor pieces. In this instance, the black queen cannot protect the weak g6 so the bishop must take on h4.

The white queen then will shepherd the c-pawn one square at a time to coronation. Black’s king will not be able to catch the c-pawn if black decides to exchange queens, which is suicide. The resulting outside passer is the killer.

I thought Position 1 is a harder puzzle.

Humans are usually allergic in puzzles to Q&P endings, preferring instead to solve things with the knight on the board or to win somehow with the c&b passers. That’s what makes the solution so counter-intuitive for most. Try the killer Position 2.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Andres D. Hortillosa http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1446 Andres D. Hortillosa Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:03:25 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1446 Hi Coelacanth, You are forgetting that after Rxf2, the e-pawn passer will cost White at least a piece. <em>Nope, after the lemon 3. Kf4 Rf3+? 4. Ke5 the B/d5 is attacked and there's no time for taking on f2. In fact black must adjust his play to this other white try. See the comment I added to his suggestion for the right way for black to play.</em> Hi Coelacanth,
You are forgetting that after Rxf2, the e-pawn passer will cost White at least a piece.

Nope, after the lemon 3. Kf4 Rf3+? 4. Ke5 the B/d5 is attacked and there’s no time for taking on f2. In fact black must adjust his play to this other white try. See the comment I added to his suggestion for the right way for black to play.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Coelacanth http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1445 Coelacanth Mon, 09 Nov 2009 12:52:17 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1445 Hmmm. In the first position, 2. Bxc7 seems stronger. For example, 2...Rb3 3.Kf4, Rf3 ? 4. Ke5, and White is the only one with any winning chances. <em>This is a legitimate and tricky try for white. Black should play 2....Rb3 3. Kf4 Bb7! guarding a6. If 4. Ke5 Kf7! black will be able to repel the white king. For example, 5. d5 Rd3 6. d6 (6. Ra5 e3!) 6...Rd5+ 7. Kf4 Ke6 and black keeps good chances. Note that 5. Kd6? is met by 5...f4!. </em> Hmmm. In the first position, 2. Bxc7 seems stronger. For example, 2…Rb3 3.Kf4, Rf3 ? 4. Ke5, and White is the only one with any winning chances.

This is a legitimate and tricky try for white. Black should play 2….Rb3 3. Kf4 Bb7! guarding a6. If 4. Ke5 Kf7! black will be able to repel the white king. For example, 5. d5 Rd3 6. d6 (6. Ra5 e3!) 6…Rd5+ 7. Kf4 Ke6 and black keeps good chances. Note that 5. Kd6? is met by 5…f4!.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Alex Guo http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1444 Alex Guo Mon, 09 Nov 2009 01:24:33 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1444 third problem: 1.Qd2 Qxd 2.Nxd2 A: 2...e3 3.Nf3 e2 (...h4 4.Kg1 etc.) 4.c5 g5 5.g4 hg 6.hg Bc3 7.c6 Be5 8.Kg2 etc. B: 2...Bc3 3.Nxe4 Bxb4 4.c5 Kg7 5.c6 Ba5 6.Nd6 Kf8 7.g3 Ke7 8.Nb5 and Black cannot approach the pawn via e6-d5 otherwise c7. The White knight and the pawn ties up Black's forces, allowing White's king to do whatever on the kingside. I hope that's right... <em> You're going to find it's very hard to win after 3. Nf3 e2 4. c5 Kg7 5. c6 Bd8! 47. g3 Bb6.</em> <em>The only answer, which is not intuitive in the extreme, is 1. Qxe4! Qxb4 2. Nh4!! and the queen and pawn ending after 2...Bxh4 (forced) 3. Qxh4 is an iron-clad win This takes time for humans to realize. There is no perp, white guards the checking lanes, and the c-pawn rolls. </em> third problem:
1.Qd2 Qxd 2.Nxd2
A: 2…e3 3.Nf3 e2 (…h4 4.Kg1 etc.) 4.c5 g5 5.g4 hg 6.hg Bc3 7.c6 Be5 8.Kg2 etc.

B: 2…Bc3 3.Nxe4 Bxb4 4.c5 Kg7 5.c6 Ba5 6.Nd6 Kf8 7.g3 Ke7 8.Nb5 and Black cannot approach the pawn via e6-d5 otherwise c7. The White knight and the pawn ties up Black’s forces, allowing White’s king to do whatever on the kingside.

I hope that’s right…

You’re going to find it’s very hard to win after 3. Nf3 e2 4. c5 Kg7 5. c6 Bd8! 47. g3 Bb6.

The only answer, which is not intuitive in the extreme, is 1. Qxe4! Qxb4 2. Nh4!! and the queen and pawn ending after 2…Bxh4 (forced) 3. Qxh4 is an iron-clad win This takes time for humans to realize. There is no perp, white guards the checking lanes, and the c-pawn rolls.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Test Your Strength Against USCL Games! IM Mark Ginsburg Challenges Fans! | Arizona Scorpions http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1443 Test Your Strength Against USCL Games! IM Mark Ginsburg Challenges Fans! | Arizona Scorpions Sat, 07 Nov 2009 18:13:24 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1443 [...] Posted November 7, 2009 at 11:13 am Below is the very first puzzle of IM Mark Ginsburg’s USCL Quiz! To check out the rest of the article visit his blog. [...] [...] Posted November 7, 2009 at 11:13 am Below is the very first puzzle of IM Mark Ginsburg’s USCL Quiz! To check out the rest of the article visit his blog. [...]

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: No Computer Allowed Quizzes by Andres D. Hortillosa http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2009/11/04/the-fabulous-00s-no-computer-allowed-quizzes/#comment-1442 Andres D. Hortillosa Sat, 07 Nov 2009 03:09:28 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=2493#comment-1442 Position 1: Black can try ...Rb8 with the idea of continuing with ...Rb3. If White responds with Kh2, Black can play ...Rf3. <em> Correct. The right poll answer is 'excellent winning chances' due to this key resource. 43...Rb8!! 44. Rxa6 (leaving the outside passer alive is very dangerous) 44...Rb3+ 45. Kh2 Rf3! (the key idea) 46. Kg1 (46. Kg2? c6 47. Ra7 f4! 48. Rg7+ Kf8 49. Rxh7 e3! wins) 46....c6 47. Ra8+ Kf7 48. Rh8 Rxh3 and black wins. In the game, a draw was an excellent team result for us and Ramirez didn't need to press with this nice line. </em> Position 1:
Black can try …Rb8 with the idea of continuing with …Rb3. If White responds with Kh2, Black can play …Rf3.

Correct. The right poll answer is ‘excellent winning chances’ due to this key resource.

43…Rb8!! 44. Rxa6 (leaving the outside passer alive is very dangerous) 44…Rb3+ 45. Kh2 Rf3! (the key idea) 46. Kg1 (46. Kg2? c6 47. Ra7 f4! 48. Rg7+ Kf8 49. Rxh7 e3! wins) 46….c6 47. Ra8+ Kf7 48. Rh8 Rxh3 and black wins.
In the game, a draw was an excellent team result for us and Ramirez didn’t need to press with this nice line.

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: USCL Week 9 by 2009 USCL Week 9: Opening of the Week | Arizona Scorpions http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/the-fabulous-00s-uscl-week-9/#comment-1440 2009 USCL Week 9: Opening of the Week | Arizona Scorpions Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:18:07 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=1450#comment-1440 [...] see Jan van de Mortel won Game of the Week with an interesting Dragon vs Bartholomew.  The variation as a whole does not have a good reputation.  I am still a fan of 14. Rc1! and am a) surprised Bartholomew did not play it and b) wondering how Jan would improve if [...] [...] see Jan van de Mortel won Game of the Week with an interesting Dragon vs Bartholomew.  The variation as a whole does not have a good reputation.  I am still a fan of 14. Rc1! and am a) surprised Bartholomew did not play it and b) wondering how Jan would improve if [...]

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: USCL Week 9 by The Fabulous 00s: 2009 USCL Week 9 Opening of the Week « IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/the-fabulous-00s-uscl-week-9/#comment-1439 The Fabulous 00s: 2009 USCL Week 9 Opening of the Week « IM Mark Ginsburg Presents A Personal Chess History Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:05:41 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=1450#comment-1439 [...] see Jan van de Mortel won Game of the Week with an interesting Dragon vs Bartholomew.  The variation as a whole does not have a good reputation.  I am still a fan of 14. Rc1! and am a) surprised Bartholomew did not play it and b) wondering how Jan would improve if [...] [...] see Jan van de Mortel won Game of the Week with an interesting Dragon vs Bartholomew.  The variation as a whole does not have a good reputation.  I am still a fan of 14. Rc1! and am a) surprised Bartholomew did not play it and b) wondering how Jan would improve if [...]

]]> Comment on The Fabulous 00s: Chess Opening Blog, Meet the Soviet Logical Aesthetic by 2009 USCL Week 9: Opening of the Week | Arizona Scorpions http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/2008/10/23/the-fabulous-00s-chess-opening-blog-meet-the-soviet-logical-aesthetic/#comment-1437 2009 USCL Week 9: Opening of the Week | Arizona Scorpions Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:30:23 +0000 http://nezhmet.wordpress.com/?p=1461#comment-1437 [...] e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4? LOL!  This move is not good! White ‘forgets’ to play the mainline 4. Nc3 first covering e4.  An ideal risky line in USCL [...] [...] e4 c6 2. d4 d5 3. e5 Bf5 4. g4? LOL!  This move is not good! White ‘forgets’ to play the mainline 4. Nc3 first covering e4.  An ideal risky line in USCL [...]

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