19 Apr 2012

Chess Puzzle - 36


White to move and win.

Bangkok Open Standings after 8 rounds


Leaders after 8 rounds

Rk.
NameRtgFEDPts. TB1 TB2 TB3 TB4 Rp
1GMShort Nigel D2697ENG7.543.540.7534.00.02856
2IMNguyen Duc Hoa2453VIE6.540.031.0030.50.02609
3IMNguyen Van Huy2485VIE6.536.528.5028.00.02463
4GMAmonatov Farrukh2604TJK6.043.530.2532.00.02561
5IMVenkatesh M R2509IND6.042.528.5031.00.02604
6GMSriram Jha2406IND6.039.028.0029.00.02462
7GMXiu Deshun2492CHN6.038.528.5029.50.02465
8
Liu Chang2262CHN6.037.524.2527.50.02461
9IMSaptarshi Roy2384IND6.036.527.7527.00.02438
10GMNeelotpal Das2462IND6.036.026.5027.50.02397
11IMLiu Qingnan2461CHN5.545.528.5033.50.02517
12GMHou Yifan2639CHN5.543.527.2532.50.02520
13
Wan Yunguo2441CHN5.541.527.5031.00.02424
14GMGustafsson Jan2642GER5.541.026.5032.00.02460
15FMVoigt Martin2364GER5.539.023.2528.00.02435
16FMTeerapabpaisit Wisuwat2278THA5.538.524.0028.50.02316
17
Severino Sander2344PHI5.538.523.7527.50.02462
18GMSchebler Gerhard2449GER5.537.525.5028.00.02375
19IMContin Daniel2331ITA5.537.523.2528.00.02411
20
Stany G A2376IND5.537.023.2527.50.02425
21GMRantanen Yrjo A2383FIN5.536.524.7527.00.02363
22IMLammers Markus2384GER5.534.522.7526.50.02318

Full results here: http://chess-results.com/tnr70858.aspx

Bangkok Open - Round 8 results


Round 8 results

Bo.
NameRtgPts. ResultPts.
NameRtg
1GMShort Nigel D 2697 1 - 06 GMAmonatov Farrukh 2604
2GMSriram Jha 2406 ½ - ½6 IMNguyen Duc Hoa 2453
3IMNguyen Van Huy 2485 1 - 0 IMLiu Qingnan 2461
4IMVenkatesh M R 25095 1 - 0
Wan Yunguo 2441
5
Stany G A 23765 ½ - ½5 GMGustafsson Jan 2642
6GMHou Yifan 26395 ½ - ½5 GMRantanen Yrjo A 2383
7IMMohota Nisha 23125 0 - 15 GMXiu Deshun 2492
8
Xiao Yiyi 21035 0 - 15 GMNeelotpal Das 2462
9GMSchebler Gerhard 24495 ½ - ½5 FMVoigt Martin 2364
10IMSaptarshi Roy 23845 1 - 05 GMGhane Shojaat 2339
11IMWynn Zaw Htun 2414 0 - 15
Liu Chang 2262

Full results here: http://chess-results.com/tnr70858.aspx

18 Apr 2012

Chess Puzzle - 35


Black to move. How should Black proceed?

Bangkok Open Standings after 7 rounds

 
England Grandmaster Nigel Short D holds his #1 position in the Bangkok Open after finishing 7 rounds, scoring 6.5 points.

Leaders after 7 rounds

Rk.
NameRtgFED1.Rd2.Rd3.Rd4.Rd5.Rd6.Rd7.Rd8.RdPts.
1GMShort Nigel D2697ENG 61b1 17w1 24b½ 11w1 4b1 9b1 8w1 2w6.5
2GMAmonatov Farrukh2604TJK 20w1 42b1 10w1 4b½ 6w½ 14b1 16w1 1b6.0
3IMNguyen Duc Hoa2453VIE 88w1 82b1 63w1 8b½ 7w½ 22b1 9w1 6b6.0
4IMLiu Qingnan2461CHN 34b1 36w1 23b1 2w½ 1w0 25b1 10w1 7b5.5
5
Wan Yunguo2441CHN 60w½ 39b1 43w1 27b1 8w½ 36b1 7w½ 9b5.5
6GMSriram Jha2406IND 85b1 97w½ 53b1 41w1 2b½ 17w½ 31b1 3w5.5
7IMNguyen Van Huy2485VIE 59b½113w1 45b1 97w1 3b½ 23w1 5b½ 4w5.5
8GMHou Yifan2639CHN 99b1 32w1 16b1 3w½ 5b½ 11w1 1b0 21w5.0
9IMVenkatesh M R2509IND 56b1 47w1 44b1 29w1 12b1 1w0 3b0 5w5.0
10IMMohota Nisha2312IND102b1 40w1 2b0 38w1 61b1 15w1 4b0 13w5.0
11FMVoigt Martin2364GER 84w1 73b1 28w1 1b0 37w1 8b0 58w1 19b5.0
12GMGustafsson Jan2642GER104w1 26b1 25w½ 24b1 9w0 43b1 18w½ 14b5.0
13GMXiu Deshun2492CHN 71w1 22b½ 64w1 25b1 14w½ 16b0 36w1 10b5.0
14
Stany G A2376IND 77b1 38w1 41b½ 59w1 13b½ 2w0 40b1 12w5.0
15GMNeelotpal Das2462IND 79w1 43b½ 22w½ 50b1 32w1 10b0 37w1 20b5.0
16GMGhane Shojaat2339IRI103w1 65b1 8w0 66b1 54w1 13w1 2b0 18b5.0
17
Liu Chang2262CHN109w1 1b0 98w1 48b1 49w1 6b½ 19w½ 29b5.0
18IMSaptarshi Roy2384IND 57b1 53w½ 59b0 74w1 45b1 30w1 12b½ 16w5.0
19GMSchebler Gerhard2449GER 48b1 45w½ 62b½ 73w1 31b½ 24w1 17b½ 11w5.0
20
Xiao Yiyi2103CHN 2b0 92w1116b1 44w1 23b0 42w1 47b1 15w5.0
21GMRantanen Yrjo A2383FIN112w1 37b½ 66w½ 65b½ 68w1 26b½ 50w1 8b5.0

Full standings: http://chess-results.com/tnr70858.aspx?art=4&lan=1&turdet=YES&flag=30

17 Apr 2012

Chess Puzzle - 34


White to move. How should white proceed?

Bangkok Open Standings after 6 rounds


Leaders after 6 rounds

Rk.
NameRtgIPts. TB1 TB2 TB3 TB4 Rp
1GMShort Nigel D26975.524.522.7516.50.02743
2GMHou Yifan26395.025.520.5018.00.02599
3GMAmonatov Farrukh26045.024.520.0017.00.02591
4IMVenkatesh M R25095.024.018.5015.50.02672
5IMNguyen Duc Hoa24535.023.018.0015.50.02598
6
Wan Yunguo24415.022.518.7515.00.02484
7IMMohota Nisha23125.021.516.5014.50.02511
8GMGhane Shojaat23395.020.515.5013.00.02521
9IMNguyen Van Huy24855.019.015.0012.50.02405
10IMLiu Qingnan24614.526.018.0017.00.02562
11GMGustafsson Jan26424.522.015.2514.50.02491
12GMSriram Jha24064.521.015.0013.50.02434
13
Liu Chang22624.520.512.7513.00.02406
14GMSchebler Gerhard24494.519.514.0012.50.02401
15IMSaptarshi Roy23844.518.514.0012.00.02356

FMPitirotjirathon Jirapak22524.518.514.0012.00.02336

Full standings: http://chess-results.com/tnr70820.aspx?lan=1

16 Apr 2012

Very difficult Chess Puzzle


Ryabinin 1999

White to move and win. This is another very difficult puzzle and it is over 10 moves long. Please no computer analysis.

Icelandinc Championship Results ( Round 1-3 )


Round 1 on 2012/04/13 at 16:00
Bo.Rtg

NameResult
Name
Rtg
12346

Gislason Gudmundur0 - 1IMThorfinnsson Bjorn
2416
22504
GMDanielsen Henrik½ - ½GMKristjansson Stefan
2500
32245

Jensson Einar Hjalti½ - ½IMThorfinnsson Bragi
2421
42305
FMKjartansson David½ - ½GMStefansson Hannes
2531
52398
GMThorhallsson Throstur½ - ½IMArngrimsson Dagur
2361
62393
FMBjornsson Sigurbjorn1 - 0IMKjartansson Gudmundur
2357

Round 2 on 2012/04/14 at 16:00
Bo.Rtg

NameResult
Name
Rtg
12416
IMThorfinnsson Bjorn½ - ½IMKjartansson Gudmundur
2357
22361
IMArngrimsson Dagur0 - 1FMBjornsson Sigurbjorn
2393
32531
GMStefansson Hannes0 - 1GMThorhallsson Throstur
2398
42421
IMThorfinnsson Bragi1 - 0FMKjartansson David
2305
52500
GMKristjansson Stefan1 - 0
Jensson Einar Hjalti
2245
62346

Gislason Gudmundur0 - 1GMDanielsen Henrik
2504

Round 3 on 2012/04/15 at 16:00
Bo.Rtg

NameResult
Name
Rtg
12504
GMDanielsen Henrik1 - 0IMThorfinnsson Bjorn
2416
22245

Jensson Einar Hjalti0 - 1
Gislason Gudmundur
2346
32305
FMKjartansson David1 - 0GMKristjansson Stefan
2500
42398
GMThorhallsson Throstur½ - ½IMThorfinnsson Bragi
2421
52393
FMBjornsson Sigurbjorn0 - 1GMStefansson Hannes
2531
62357
IMKjartansson Gudmundur1 - 0IMArngrimsson Dagur
2361

Full results: http://chess-results.com/tnr70156.aspx

Chess Puzzle - 33


White to move. How should white proceed?

15 Apr 2012

Endgame : Checkmate with knight pair

Two Knights
Checkmate with a king and two knights is one of the rare possibilities in the game of chess. Sometimes checkmate is possible with two knights against one pawn as the pawn removes the stalemate defense. Sometimes two knights and a king can force a checkmate against a pawn and the king. The tactics is to block the opponent's pawn with the knight and push the king to the stalemate position. The knight however plays the checkmate.

Endgame : Checkmate with bishop and knight

Bishop & Knight:
In this case checkmate is a difficult possibility. The two pieces cannot form a linear barrier to the opponent's king and thus the checkmate only occurs in the corner controlled by the bishop. We get two checkmate positions with these two pieces. The first position is a checkmate by the bishop, the king being in the corner. The second position is created by the knight, the king being in a side square next to the corner. The bishop and king moving on the side, the checkmate can occur at the end of 33 moves from the starting position. 

Endgame : Checkmate with bishop pair

Checkmate with bishop pair


There can be two checkmate positions with the two bishops on board that can occur at any corner of the board. There can be a checkmate in the corner. The second checkmate can occur at the side square, just next to the corner square. With the bishops moving freely on the side, the checkmate can occur in nineteen moves. Two bishops can result in a checkmate with the help of two kings. The bishops are the most useful when they are at the center of the board. The king has to be used frequently with the bishops.

1. Ke2 Ke4 (Black tries to keep his king near the center)
2. Be3 Ke5 (forcing the king back, which is done often)
3. Kd3 Kd5
4. Bd4 Ke6
5. Ke4 Kd6 (Black tries a different approach to stay near the center)
6. Bc4 (White has a fine position. The bishops are centralized and the king is active.)
6... Kc6 (Black avoids going toward the side)
7. Ke5 Kd7 (Black is trying to avoid the a8 corner)
8. Bd5 (keeping the black king off c6)
8... Kc7
9. Bc5 Kd7
10. Bd6! (an important move that forces the king to the edge of the board)
10... Ke8 (Black is still avoiding the corner)
11. Ke6 (now the black king cannot get off the edge of the board)
11... Kd8
12. Bc6 (forcing the king toward the corner)
12... Kc8 (Black's king is confined to c8 and d8. The white king must cover a7 and b7)
13. Kd5 (13. Ke7? is stalemate)
13...Kd8
14. Kc5 Kc8
15. Kb6 Kd8 (Now White must allow the king to move into the corner)
16. Bc5 Kc8
17. Be7! (an important move that forces the king toward the corner)
17... Kb8
18. Bd7! (the same principle as the previous move)
18... Ka8
19. Bd8 (White must make a move that gives up a tempo. This move is such a move, along with Bc5, Bf8, Be6, or Ka6.)
19... Kb8
20. Bc7+ Ka8
21. Bc6#


Chess Puzzle - 32



Black to move. How should black proceed?

14 Apr 2012

Chess Puzzle - 31



White to move. What is the best continuation for White?

St.Louis Chess Tournament


Final standings

Rk Name Rating 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Score
1 GM Moradiabadi, Elshan 2542 x½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 0 1 1 6.0
2 IM Arnold, Marc T 2502 ½ x½ ½ ½ ½ 1 ½ 1 1 6.0
3 IM Yang, Darwin 2448 ½ ½ x1 ½ ½ 1 1 1 0 6.0
4 GM Margvelashvili, Giorgi 2547 ½ ½ 0 x½ ½ 1 1 ½ 1 5.5
5 IM Molner, Mackenzie 2465 0 ½ ½ ½ x1 1 ½ ½ 1 5.5
6 IM Sevillano, Enrico 2502 ½ ½ ½ ½ 0 x0 1 1 1 5.0
7 GM Finegold, Benjamin 2505 0 0 0 0 0 1 x½ 1 1 3.5
8 IM Gerzhoy, Leonid 2489 1 ½ 0 0 ½ 0 ½ x½ 0 3.0
9 IM Brooks, Michael A 2456 0 0 0 ½ ½ 0 0 ½ x1 2.5
10 IM Young, Angelo 2321 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 x2.0

Official website: http://saintlouischessclub.org/2012-saint-louis-invitational

Rook and pawn endgame



This is an actual game from round 8 in St. Louis. It is white to move. Is this a win or draw for white?