White: Bogoljubov – Black: Alekhine (1929 World Championship)
White to move. How should White proceed?
Puzzle sent in by Andreas
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1. Rxc7+ Qxc7
2. Nc5+ Kb6/b8
3. Qxc7+ Kxc7
4. Nxe6+ Kc8/d7
5. Nxd8 Kxd8
with a pawn-up ending for White.
You can’t play Kb8 because of Na6+. The only move is Kb6 when you take on c7.
Qxd6!!
Qxe6!! sorry
anonymous, Qxe6 is good too, but not as good as the other line given above. With heavy pieces on the board, one extra P will not guarantee win. But in a K & P ending, and extra P almost always wins
HOW TALL IS TOPALOV?
HOW TALL IS KRAMNIK?
HOW TALL IS THE MAIN ARBITER?
To solve this I need to be a master. How much time and money do I need to spend to become a grandmaster? I am rated approximately 1700 now.
1: Rxc7+,
black must recapture with the queen (e.g. 1: , Kb8, Qxd8)
1: , Qxc7
2: Nc5+
the black king must stay next to the queen, which will otherwise be lost,
2: , Kb8
3: Na6+
forking the queen, or
2: , Kb6
3: Na3+, Kb7
4: Qb5+,
now, black cannot interpose the queen, 4: , Kc8; 5: Nb6+, Kb7/8; Nxd5+ also loses the queen, and
4: , Ka8
5: Nb6+, Ka7
otherwise Nxd5+ loese the queen
6: Qa5+, Kb8
7: Qa8#
So, black must play 4: , Ka7 to avoid the knight move with check. Is there a winning continuation for white from there?
PS
This is a very easy puzzle, and well within the grasp of someone rated 1700 ELO. Did Bogoljubov find the winning sequence back in 1929?
Dear Anonymous,
After
4. Qb5+ Kc8
5. Nb6+
Black plays
5. … Kb8
6. Nxd5+ Qb7
and the black queen is safe.
I suggest
1. Nc5+ Ka7
Other moves lose: (1) 1. … Kb8, 2. Na6+ Kb7 (2. … Qxa6, 3. Qxc7+ Ka8, 4. Qxd8+ and White wins), 3. Rxc7+ Kxa6, 4. Qa4+ Qa5, 5. Ra7+ Kxa7, 6. Qxa5+ Kb7, 7. Qxd8 and White wins. (2) 1. … Ka8, 2. Nxc7+ Kb7, 3. Qxd8 and White wins.
2. Qa4+ Qa5
The only other move loses: 2. … Kb8, 3. Nxc7 wining a piece.
3. Nxe6 Qxa4
4. Rxc7+ Kb6
5. bxa4 Re8
6. Rc3 Rxe6
7. Rxa3
White is two pawns up.
dear Geoffrey after NC5 black play Qc5!
Anonymous said…
To solve this I need to be a master. How much time and money do I need to spend to become a grandmaster? I am rated approximately 1700 now
Dear Anonymous, You don’t need to be a Master to solve these problems. Some do it by Fritz and others by looking up the position in the game to see the notes and some just put the position on a board. I try to do it in my head and write down my own analysis; then check it on the board and then, and only then, getting the answer via Fritz or the solution provided. Don’t be too disappointed about the rating thing. I’ve done test positions in books and those say my approximate ELO is around 1900. What a joke! I recently lost on playchess.com to a much lower rated opponent…I do mean much lower, embarrassing. I’ll tell you this. I started in grade school, but felt that was of little benefit. When GM Lev Alburt made his chess course available I bought it. I’ve personally have bought over 50 chess books. Some useful, like Lev’s and others a waste of time (for me). I’ve bought Lazlo Polgar’s book “Chess” thinking if it helped make his daughters good, it might help some (I liked it and it does help…if you study with it), but it’s hard work that gets it done. I’ve never spent a dime on chess lessons and I did well in small military tournaments. When I made a foray into the real world of chess I found I was really behind. I hope you started early in your life studying chess. I’m convinced that the important positions can be imprinted into a mind of a young child and it will remain for his or her life. My memory fails me at 44. Yeah, get your lessons from a well know instructor, and buy some chess books (for reference). Study and study and study, especially end game positions. Good luck!
1. Qxe6 and Qxd4 is embarrassing!:)
1. Rxc7 is the correct move
Qc5!
Wow, I never even considered that one!