Friday, September 07, 2007

Not much to say

Now the path is clearly defined it is just a matter of walking along. I have been busy installing a homenetwork so Margriet has access to internet again. Though that shouldn't be much of a problem, it took me 5 days to solve all the associated problems like malfunctioning networkcards, incompatible drivers etc.(plug and pray). This is the position that is on my chessboard during that time.























Black to move and win.

It revolves around the invasion squares e4 and a2 (of course!:)
The knight at c3 is overworked, it has to defend both e4 and a2.

This is a typical position where the moves are rather obvious, but the move order is the difficult part. Right now I'm trying to formulate a narrative why 1.Rxe4 is better than 1.Nxe4. Since this kind of move order problems is extremely common, it's worthwhile to invest a considerable amount of time in it.

Tonight the new clubyear starts, let's see if I made some progress.

6 comments:

  1. What source did you get the puzzle from? Good luck at your club premiere. Do you still play mainly gambits?

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  2. Good luck. Let us know...

    SP: if I may be as presumptious to answer the first question, he is using Polgar's middlegame brick (not Chess, but Chess: Middlegames).

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  3. Why not B takes e4? This is more forcing than R x e4 and, following W knight capture of bishop, and B knight recapture, should end up forcing the W knight off c3. This would also clear the long diagonol for Queen mate on a2. I apologize if I have overlooked something obvious, i didn't spend the time to work out all the variations.

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  4. Anon,
    you raise a very interesting point.
    I haven't even thought about Bxe4 because such move MUST be bad. How do I know that so sure? I just know. I must have dismissed that in the very first glance. I have even trouble to think about it now you ask. The move just feels so bad, releasing the tension of a pin.

    That is what chess is all about. Just knowing things without knowing an explicit why. I must have learned that in the past, but how?
    How can one cultivate such instinct?

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  5. SP,
    Blue is right.

    I dropped 4 gambits which ceased to be productive lately:
    The Smith-Morra, which was never productive in my hands is replaced by the grand prix.
    The Bellon gambit, which was rather productive but I hadn't the slightest idea what I was doing is replaced by the grand prix reversed.
    The Alapin Diemer gambiet isn't working against stronger opponents.
    My homemade gambit against the Caro Kan is replaced with a more solid line.

    Remain:
    Kings gambit, which in my hands is a very solid opening.
    A nameless gambit against the Alekhine defense.
    Portugese gambit.
    Icelandic gambit.
    Fajarowitsch.

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  6. everything about you produces the aroma of 'smart' and resourceful.

    off to the glacier in a few minutes... we are leaving too late, but my date has a four year old, and 'time sharing' with the child's father and she is not free till eight or nine am. we have till eight, as far as daylight goes. i am bringing a headlantern, by Pitzel.

    i like your idea of 'keeping a position on the board. now i do the same thing (i set up two CT-Art 3.0 chess positions before bed, and went to bed with the boards. so, when i wake, i have already 'downloaded' a postion.
    staring at these is now becoming

    my favorite chess exercise. i also appreciate your idea of the narative.

    take care, dk

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