Dec-05-08
 | | plang: If White does not play 8 d5 Black gets a favorable version of the Dragon Sicilian. 8..Nbd7 was new; Mestel had played 8..a6 against Sadler in the 1997 British Championship in a 23 move White win. Both Sadler and Plaskett agreed that White's best response would have been 9 a4..a6 10 Bc4..Rb8
11 Qd3 when ..b5 is not easy to achieve. Sadler's explanation was that White's priority should be in limiting Black's counterplay rather than playing for a quick attack which gives Black the activity he is seeking. Plaskett built up good pressure on the White d pawn and would have had a clear advantage had he played 17..dxe
18 Nxe5..Nxd5 19 Nxd5..Rxd5 20 Rxd5..Bxd5 21 bxc..bxc 22 Bxc5..Qb7.
Plaskett's 17..Qa8? gave Sadler time to weaken the Black queenside with 18 bxc and 19 Rb1. In mutual time trouble Plaskett's clever, unconventional defense with 28..gxh! and 29 ..Be4! would have led to a big advantage after 32..Qd5 and if
33 Nxe6..Bxe6 34 Qf6..Re8 35 Rd6..Rf7!
36 Qg5+..Rg7. However, after 32..Re8?
and 34..Be7? (34..Rd8 was recommended by Plaskett) the Black position collapsed. The final combination with 37 Nh7! is quite nice. Plaskett lost on time though he was quite lost at that point. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | Brenin: 36 Rxf5 is fairly easy to see, forcing 36 ... exf5 (otherwise a piece is lost) which allows the R on a6 to swing across to the K-side, The follow-up 37 Nxh7, threatening 38 Nf6+, is less obvious: if 37 ... Rxh7 then 38 Rg6+ Rg7 39 Rxg7+ Kxg7 40 e6+ Bf6 41 Qf7+ leads to mate in a few moves. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | ChessHigherCat: I think *and therefore I am (guessing)* 37. Rxf5, Now black simply loses a piece if he recaptures the bishop with either the rook or the bishop and if black plays QxR inteads white copycats with QxR+ with a big advantge, so the only move left is 37...exf5. Now the N really is hanging so maybe 38. Rf6 threatening 39. Rf7 and if 38...Bxf6 39 exf6 threatening ef7 and curtains (cyberfish says +15).
Damn, I went astray with 38. Rf6 because I assumed, like yesterday, that black would obligingly play the wrong move (38....Bxf6 40. ef6, etc.) but fishface says that it's a draw if black plays 38...Bc5 instead, pinning the White bishop. A feller can't be paranoid enough in this game. Dr*t and cushlam*cree!. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | mel gibson: No - I didn't solve the puzzle today.
Stockfish 15 says:
36. Rxf5
(36. Rxf5 (♖f1xf5 ♗e7xg5 ♖f5xg5
♖e8-e7 ♖a6-d6 ♕c8-f8 ♖g5xg7+ ♔g8xg7 ♕h5-g5+ ♔g7-f7 a4-a5 ♕f8-g7 ♕g5-f4+
♔f7-e8 a5-a6 ♕g7-g6 ♕f4-h4 h7-h6 a6-a7 ♖e7xa7 ♕h4-d8+ ♔e8-f7 ♗d4xa7 ♕g6-b1+
♔g1-h2 ♕b1-f5 ♖d6-d7+ ♔f7-g6 ♕d8-e8+ ♔g6-g5 ♗a7-e3+ ♔g5-g4 ♖d7-d4+ ♕f5-f4+
♖d4xf4+ ♔g4-g5 ♖f4xc4+ ♔g5-f5 ♕e8-h5+) +M20/66 570) score for White _ mate in 20. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | agb2002: White has a bishop and a knight for the bishop pair and a pawn. Black threatens Rxg5.
White can incorporate the rook on a6 into the attack and eliminate an important defender with 36.Rxf5 (36.Nxe6 Bg4) 36... exf5 (36... Qxa6 37.Qxe8+ and mate next) 37.Nxh7: A) 37... Rxh7 38.Rg6+ Rg7 (38... Kh8 39.e6+ wins; else 39.Qxh7 wins) 39.Rxg7+ Kxg7 40.e6+ Bf6 (else 41.Qf7#) 41.Qf7+ Kh6 (41... Kh8 42.Bxf6#) 42.Qxf6+ Kh5 (42... Kh7 43.Qg7#) 43.Qxf5+ Kh6 (43... Kh4 44.Bf2#) 44.Bf4+ Kg7 45.Qf7+ Kh8 46.Bd4#. B) 37... Qxa6 38.Nf6+ Bxf6 (38... Kf8 39.Qxe8#; 38... Qxf6 39.exf6 wins decisive material) 39.Qxe8+ Kh7 40.exf6, followed by f7, must be winning. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | newzild: I'm surprised nobody in these comments seems to have considered 36. Nxe6. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | burleyman2: I considered 36 Nxe6 but couldn't see anything decisive after 36 ... Bg6 |
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Jul-21-22
 | | Teyss: <newzild: I'm surprised nobody in these comments seems to have considered 36. Nxe6> agb2002: (...) 36.Nxe6 Bg4. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | TheaN: Ah crap. Did spot <36.Rxf5 exf5> as being the best way forward, but thought <37.e6?<>> was key. I missed the opportunity by Black to pin Bd4 entirely <37....Bc5=<>>, else Black has issues as Rg7 is defending f7 and the queen is defending Re8, so it's the escape Black needs. <37.Nxh7!> is 100% key, as SF gives Ne6 0 as second best (and so is e6 then, as that's also 0). Nxh7, text is key as is 37....Rxh7 38.Rg6+ Rg7 39.Rxg7+ Kxg7 40.e6+ and mate soon. |
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| Jul-21-22 | | Cassandro: The first move (Rxf5) is relatively easy to see, but then it gets slightly more complicated. Nice puzzle. |
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Jul-21-22
 | | chrisowen: Eulogy aid Rxf5 abluff frazzle idea arrive clocks ahh it's rich it's bobble tub dab Rxf5 ebb; |
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Jul-21-22
 | | Jimfromprovidence: The position after 37...Qb7, below, where black threatens both mate in one and check on b1 is quite interesting.
click for larger viewWhite to play and win. |
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Jul-21-22
| | chrisowen: No proof Rf5 a wallabie no? |
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Jul-21-22
| | chrisowen: No bandit once batten no? |
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| Jul-21-22 | | ChessHigherCat: Hi <JfP>! Why not just 38. Qxe8 Kxh7 (Bf8 obviously doesn't work) 39. Qh5+ Kg8 40. Rg6 Rg7 41. Rxg7 Kxg7 42., e6+ mates quickly, right? |
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| Jul-21-22 | | mel gibson: <Jul-21-22
Premium Chessgames Member Jimfromprovidence: The position after 37...Qb7, below, where black threatens both mate in one and check on b1 is quite interesting.>That still doesn't work -
Stockfish 15 says mate in 16:
37... Qb7
(37. .. Qb7 38. Rg6 (♖a6-g6 ♕b7-b1+ ♔g1-h2 ♕b1-e4 ♘h7-f6+ ♗e7xf6 e5xf6 ♕e4-h4+ ♕h5xh4
♖g7xg6 ♕h4-h8+ ♔g8-f7 ♕h8-h7+ ♔f7-e6 ♕h7xg6 ♖e8-h8+ ♔h2-g3 ♔e6-d5 f6-f7
♖h8-d8 ♔g3-f4 ♖d8-d6 ♕g6xf5+ ♔d5-c6 f7-f8♕ ♖d6xd4+ c3xd4 c4-c3 ♕f5-c5+
♔c6-d7 ♕f8-c8+) +M16/71 139)
White wins_ mate in 16. |
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Jul-21-22
| | Jimfromprovidence: <ChessHigherCat> I liked your solution. I don't know if it's mate but it's close to it. <mel gibson> I know that the position loses. That's why I put down white to play and win. I was hoping someone would try ...Qb1+ at some point to see if that causes problems for white. |
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Kibitzing
sac: 36.Rxf5
