Tactics practice

[Ian Thompson]

Isn't this problem spoilt by White having two completely different ways of reaching an obviously resignable position for Black?

I don't think so. It's why I pointed that Black can win as well if White gets careless!

[FEN "8/4P3/8/2r4p/pk2r2p/8/8/K4RR1 w - - 0 1"] 1.Rf4 Rcc4 ( 1...Re5 2.Re1 ) 2.Rb1+ Kc5 ( 2...Kc3 3.e8Q ( 3.Rc1+?? Kb3!! { and now it is White who will either get mated or lose his last pawn! } 4.Rxc4?? ( 4.Rxe4?? Rxc1# ) ( 4.Rb1+ Ka3 ( 4...Kc3 5.Rc1+ Kb3 { drawn.. or is it... } 6.Rf3+ Kb4 7.Rxc4+ Kxc4 ( 7...Rxc4?? 8.e8Q ) 8.Rf4 ) 5.Rf3+ Re3 6.Rxe3+ Rc3 7.Rxc3# ) 4...Re1+ 5.Rc1 Rxc1# ) 3...Rxe8 4.Rc1+ ) 3.Rf8 Rxe7 4.Rc8+ Kd5 5.Rd1+ Rd4 6.Rd8+
You may (or may not) appreciate that a lot of those variations are mine and done without an engine or without much thought (on a lunch break), so comment away

That's one of the two ways I had in mind. Once you've been told there's a clear win for White 1.Rf4 is the obvious move to look at first. I don't think it's the only way to win, or the quickest way to win.

How about 1.Rb1+ Kc4 2.Rgc1+ Kd5 3.Re1 and Black is obviously losing a rook to stop the pawn queening. If 1... Ka5 2.Rg8 and Black loses a rook again (as he can't stop both Ra8 mate and the pawn queening). If 1... Ka3 2.Rg2 is mating. If Black plays 2... Kd4 in the main line 3.Rb4+ wins at least a rook.

[Greg Breed]

Good stuff Ian! I hadn't seen those lines.

[Barry Sandercock]

1.D4 D5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.E3 Bg4 Can anyone tell me the best way for White to proceed after Blacks 3..Bg4 ? I can't find this move in Modern Chess Openings or any other opening book. I had this played against me recently and although it doesn't look quite right to me, it's not obvious to me how White can get an advantage. I suppose 4.c4 is a reasonable move.( What a question to be asking after 70 years playing chess ! )

[IM Jack Rudd]

The trouble is that against a ...Bg4 system, your bishop probably belongs on f4, which is what you've prevented by playing 3.e3. That said, 4.c4 looks perfectly reasonable.

[Barry Sandercock]

Thanks Jack. I have now found the move 3..bg4 in a book called " A Killer chess opening repertoire" by Aaron Summerscale giving analysis and showing that 4.c4 is a good response.

[Greg Breed]

Personally I'd want to get the dark squared Bishop out before playing e2-e3. Bf4 or Bg5 seem ok, the former leading to a London System-type setup.

[LawrenceCooper]

1.D4 D5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.E3 Bg4 Can anyone tell me the best way for White to proceed after Blacks 3..Bg4 ? I can't find this move in Modern Chess Openings or any other opening book. I had this played against me recently and although it doesn't look quite right to me, it's not obvious to me how White can get an advantage. I suppose 4.c4 is a reasonable move.( What a question to be asking after 70 years playing chess ! )

I think c4 is probably the only way to try for an advantage, after 4...c6 we've transposed into a line of the Slav (1 d4 d5 2 c4 c6 3 Nf3 Nf6 4 e3 Bg4) where white often follows up with 5 h3 and black tends to take on f3 giving white the two bishops and a bit of space but black is very solid. If white doesn't play for c4 black looks very comfortable as both bishops can be developed actively whereas white may end up slightly passive.

[Roger de Coverly]

1.D4 D5 2.Nf3 Nf6 3.E3 Bg4 Can anyone tell me the best way for White to proceed after Blacks 3..Bg4 ?

Black has a number of options as well as the traditional book recommendation of 3. .. Bf5. 3. .. g6 is possible, trying to head for a Gruenfeld as well as 3. .. c5 with an attempt to get a Queens Gambit reversed after 4. .. Bg4 or failing that a normal position from another opening after 4. c4.

The more annoying move order is 1. d4 Nf6 2. Nf3 e6 3. e3 . Now if you play d5 or c5 you go back into the Colle player's book which might be best avoided if that's the only opening he knows. I think you are left with 3. .. b6 which could require knowledge of Queens Indian positions.

[Ian Thompson]

Here's a position from a recent game of mine with a tactic in it that neither I nor my opponent saw. What's Black's best move in this position (to reach a clearly drawn position)?

[Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "????.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "?"] [Black "?"] [Result "*"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "1r6/5pkp/3N2p1/3R4/8/1r4Pn/1P3PK1/1R6 w - - 0 30"] [PlyCount "0"]

[James Toon]

Black's knight is trapped, so what can he get for it? Two pawns for a piece with 1...Nxf2 2.Kxf2 Rxb2+ 3.Rxb2 Rxb2+ and then 4...h5 to stop the White g-pawn advancing.

It looks a reasonable route to a holdable position, but it's not a tactical solution. Maybe the players didn't consider 1...Ng5 2.Rxg5 f5 when one of White's rooks is out of the game and ...h6 is coming. 3.Nxf5+ Kf6 attacks rook and knight, and then the b-pawn goes, so Black recovers the material.

[Ian Thompson]

Black's knight is trapped, so what can he get for it? Two pawns for a piece with 1...Nxf2 2.Kxf2 Rxb2+ 3.Rxb2 Rxb2+ and then 4...h5 to stop the White g-pawn advancing.

It looks a reasonable route to a holdable position, but it's not a tactical solution. Maybe the players didn't consider 1...Ng5 2.Rxg5 f5 when one of White's rooks is out of the game and ...h6 is coming. 3.Nxf5+ Kf6 attacks rook and knight, and then the b-pawn goes, so Black recovers the material.

Correct. The game continued with the Knight sacrifice on f2 and Black eventually drew a R+N v R ending. 1...Ng5 2.Rxg5 f5 with the ideas you mention is a much easier way to a draw.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

1r6/p3Q3/1kq1pB2/2N1P3/3PB3/2p5/1r3P2/5bK1

A position that nearly arose from a game I played yesterday (I was Black and lost because in the actual game my king was on c8 and not b6, which makes a big difference). Black to play, what result? (I'm not entirely sure of the answer, as the computer engine I used finds lots of short-term tactics, but seems to be unsure of the long-term result).

[Christopher Kreuzer]

And another position, from a game a few days ago:

r5k1/pp3p1n/7r/3pPqp1/P2P4/B1N2PPn/R2Q2K1/5R2

As before, Black to play, what is the best move and what should the result be?

[Roger de Coverly]

(I'm not entirely sure of the answer, as the computer engine I used finds lots of short-term tactics, but seems to be unsure of the long-term result).

Adjudicate using the UKCC method, white 21 points, black 25. But if black can stabilise the position without giving too much up, he will be two exchanges ahead and presumably winning. From the white side, a forced mate looks unlikely, but maybe there's a forced repetition. Also three pieces for two rooks is usually OK for the pieces, looking at the en prise f1 Bishop.

It's difficult sometimes to come cold at randomised positions with a sensible assessment. At least if you had been playing, you might know what you and your opponent appeared to be trying to achieve and the tactics supporting that.

[Christopher Kreuzer]

(I'm not entirely sure of the answer, as the computer engine I used finds lots of short-term tactics, but seems to be unsure of the long-term result).

Adjudicate using the UKCC method, white 21 points, black 25. But if black can stabilise the position without giving too much up, he will be two exchanges ahead and presumably winning. From the white side, a forced mate looks unlikely, but maybe there's a forced repetition. Also three pieces for two rooks is usually OK for the pieces, looking at the en prise f1 Bishop.

It's difficult sometimes to come cold at randomised positions with a sensible assessment. At least if you had been playing, you might know what you and your opponent appeared to be trying to achieve and the tactics supporting that.

Actually, that position is just an excuse to showcase a nice tactic... (it is possible the position is drawn after Black's king gets chased around the board). I'll give the start of what I think is the main line (is there a way to add such moves to the position so they can be played through without having to give the rest of the moves?). The start is 1...Rg8+ 2.Kxf1 c2 3.Bg5 4.Qb5+ Kg2 - can you see the deadly trap Black is walking into? [It is possible that 1...c2 immediately is a better line.]