Saturday, August 15, 2020

PoPLoAFun examples

 Just a few random examples from the series with discovered attack.

  • Green square = target <i>point of pressure</i>)
  • Yellow square = attacking square <i>point of pressure</i>
  • Red square = piece with a <i>function</i>
  • Yellow arrow = <i>line of attack</i>

Diagram 1 white to move

Diagram 2 white to move

Diagram 3 white to move

Diagram 4 white to move

Diagram 5 white to move

Diagram 6 black to move


2 comments:

  1. Here's an "interesting" position found in the GM Andrew Soltis book The Inner Game of Chess: How to Calculate and Win, pg. 72:

    FEN: 4r1k1/p2n1pbp/q5p1/3p4/N7/1P1n1PP1/P1NB3P/3Q1R1K b - - 4 26

    Game score (from Chess Tempo database):

    Jones, Iolo C (2210) vs Dueball, Juergen (2455)
    Date: 1974-06
    Event: Nice ol (Men) fin-A, Nice FRA
    Round: 9
    Result: 0-1
    Opening: King's Indian Defense, Fianchetto Variation, Classical Fianchetto (E67)

    1. Nf3 g6 2. g3 Bg7 3. d4 Nf6 4. Bg2 O-O 5. O-O d6 6. c4 Nbd7 7. Nc3 e5 8. e4 exd4 9. Nxd4 Re8 10. f3 c6 11. Kh1 Nb6 12. b3 d5 13. exd5 cxd5 14. c5 Nbd7 15. Na4 Qe7 16. c6 bxc6 17. Nxc6 Qd6 18. Nd4 Ba6 19. Rf2 Rac8 20. Bf1 Bxf1 21. Rxf1 Ne5 22. Bb2 Qa6 23. Rc1 Rxc1 24. Bxc1 Nd3 25. Bd2 Nd7 26. Nc2 Re1 27. Bxe1 Nb2 28. Bc3 Nxd1 29. Rxd1 Qe2 White resigns

    There are relatively few PoPs and LoAs in the position following White's 26th move. However, there are several Fun(ctions) at play on the e1 (in particular), f2 and b2 squares. The e1 square is not B.A.D. for White because he has 4 pieces (WNc2, WBd2, WQd1 and WRf1) "controlling" it compared to only two Black pieces (BRe8, BNd3) "attacking" it. In spite of that, Black is able to win. The "shock" must have registered only after Black's final 29th move.

    Looking at LoAs "through" pieces all the way to the edge of the board and thinking about PoPs goes a long way toward understanding what is potentially possible. Understanding the Functions adds depth to that understanding. In concrete positions, that is often sufficient to find one or more winning continuations.

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