Once in a while, your opponent makes a not so obvious tactical error. Can you spot it and take advantage of the situation? White to move.
Pelletier – Arcuti (2017 Swiss Championship)
Daily Chess Improvement: Very subtle chess tactic!
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Hard to see anything other than Bxe4 as a start. What I see is that white should gain full control of an open d-file, and I don’t think black can do much about it:
1. Be4 de4 (if 1. …Bd4, then 2.Qd4 de4 3.Qd8 wins a piece)
2. Nc5
I don’t see a better move for white here- and I have looked at it for a while now, but this is better than ok for white since……
2. ………….Rc5 ( if bc5?! then 3.Nf5 Qd2 4.Rd2 and black will have trouble dealing with the threat of Nd6)
3. Rc5 bc5 (what else is better?)
4. Nf5!
With the same threat of Nd6 in the variation after 2. …Rc5 above. I think black must exchange at d2….
4. ………….Qd2
5. Rd2
And the knight at e5 is protected by the rook who is guarding the back rank, white is threatening Nd6 forking the rook and bishop, and black has two weak isolated pawns- there are so many holes I don’t see right now how black closes them all. After 5.Rd2, black really does have either protect the knight at e5 with f6 while opening a hole for the king so the rook can be freed up, or he must move the bishop. Not a pretty picture for black- I would guess white’s edge might well be decisive.
Yancey’s comment on the previous problem reminded Susan of this,
1. Bxe4 dxe4 as Yancey pointed out 1. … Bxd4 2. Qxd4 dxe4 3. Qxd8 Rcxd8 4. Rxd8 Rxd8 5. Bxe5 wins a piece
2. Nb5 and now 2. …. a6 hoping to capture the b5 knight first doesn’t work because 3. Nxc5 attacks the b7 bishop so Black must play 3. … bxc5 allowing 4. Nd6 forking the rooks and bishop,
also 2. … Ra8 3. Qd7 Qxd7 4. Rxd7 Bc8 5. Nxc5 bxc5 6. Rxa7 and White might be able to grab the c pawn as well.
2. … Qxd2
3. Rxd2 Bf8
4. Rxc8 Bxc8
5. Nxa7 Bf5
6. Nxb6 and Black can’t play 6. … Bc5 because 7. Rd8+ Bf8 8. Nd7
Sorry I got the last bit completely wrong, I meant 6. … Bc5 7. Bxe5 Rxe5 8. Rd8+ Bf8 9. Nd7 but Black can play 9. … Bxd7.
James, what if black just plays 3. …e3 instead of Bf8? That line looks horrible to me for white.
Yes, I wasn’t updating moves properly again.
Problem for Alena:
4K3/7R/8/N7/8/7B/1p1p1p1p/k1n5 w – – 0 1
Zacharov, 1976 White to move and win.
I liked your puzzle very much. The idea is very beautiful. At first I thought I couldn’t solve it.
1. Nb3+ Nxb3
2. Ra7+ Kb1
3. Bf5+ Kc1
4. Rc7+ Kd1
5. Bg4+ Ke1
6. Re7+ Kf1
7. Bh3+ Kg1
8. Rg7+ Kh1
9. Bg2+ Kg1
10. Bd5+ Kf1
11. Bc4+ Ke1
12. Re7+ Kd1
13. Bxb3+ Kc1
14. Rc7+ Kb1
15. Bc2+ Kc1
16. Bf5+ Kd1
17. Bg4+ Ke1
18. Re7+ Kf1
19. Bh3+ Kg1
20. Rg7+ Kh1
21. Bd7 f1=Q
22. Bc6+ Qg2
23. Rxg2 b1=Q
24. Rg3+ Qe4+
25. Bxe4#
Yes, the problem is a mate in 25 or less.
Here is another problem, longer, that has the same theme:
1R6/6pK/5p2/4p3/1B1p3n/8/p1p1pp2/1k3b2 w – – 0 1 Ugren
1. Ba3+ Ka1
2. Bb2+ Kb1
3. Bxd4+ Kc1
4. Be3+ Kd1
5. Rd8+ Ke1
6. Bd2+ Kd1
7. Bb4+ Kc1
8. Ba3+ Kb1
9. Rb8+ Ka1
10. Bb2+ Kb1
11. Bxe5+ Kc1
12. Bf4+ Kd1
13. Rd8+ Ke1
14. Bd2+ Kd1
15. Bb4+ Kc1
16. Ba3+ Kb1
17. Rb8+ Ka1
18. Bb2+ Kb1
19. Bxf6+ Kc1
20. Bg5+ Kd1
21. Rd8+ Ke1
22. Bd2+ Kd1
23. Bb4+ Kc1
24. Ba3+ Kb1
25. Rb8+ Ka1
26. Bb2+ Kb1
27. Bxg7+ Kc1
28. Bh6+ Kd1
29. Rd8+ Ke1
30. Bd2+ Kd1
31. Bb4+ Kc1
32. Ba3+ Kb1
33. Rb8+ Ka1
34. Be7 c1=Q
35. Bf6+ Qb2
36. Rxb2 e1=Q
37. Rb3+ Qe5
38. Bxe5#
I’m looking forward to your next puzzle.
I didn’t check either solution in detail, but the length is correct and contains the key moves at the right points I identified myself several years prior. If you need verification, solutions were provided by myself and other commenters at the two links:
Mate in 25
Mate in 38
In addition, I have provided another puzzle for your consideration on the next puzzle thread.