I’m often in the Scottish town of Haddington and have noticed this chessboard
laid out in a public garden. I decided to baptise it with my own garden chess set.
The board and the benches were paid for by Tesco and the Bags of Help
Programme. They donate money to organisations from the sale of carrier bags.
Three puzzles from Tal’s book of Combinations.
So those of you that have this book it is a test of memory and for
those of you that do not have this book, the question is; Why Not?
The solution is hidden. (they are easy so I’ve added a 4th puzzle)
Stakhovich - Gechler, 1955 (White to play)
1.Bh6+ 2.Rf1 with Be8 and Bxf7 mate to follow.
Ivanov - Kutuev, 1964 (Black to play)
1...Bxg4 2.Qxf6 Bh3 mate. How easy was that?
Bruchner, 1948 (White to play and mate in two moves.)
1. Qh5 Rxh5 2. Bf3 Mate.
You have had it too easy try this Goldberg 1931 (White to play and win)
White’s subtle 3rd move is the key. The solution is after this advert.
It important to know that a King and two Bishop v a King and Knight is
classed as a win. But a King and two Bishop v a King and Bishop is a draw.
FEN
1k6/4b1B1/K7/3n4/6B1/8/8/8 w - - 0 1
[FEN "1k6/4b1B1/K7/3n4/6B1/8/8/8 w - - 0 1"] 1. Be5+ Nc7+ 2. Kb6 {Threatening 3.Bxc7+ and 4.Bf3 mate.} 2... Bd8 {White has to play the correct waiting move. 3.Bh3 Ka8 4.Bg2+ Nd5+ does not win.} 3. Bd7 {This is only move that wins. Now on Bc6+ and the Knight cannot interpose with a discovered check.} 3... Ka8 4. Bc6+ Kb8 5. Bb7 {The d8 Bishop must move allowing 6.Bxc7 mate.}
The Mieses Variation of the...
...Scotch Game.
A couple of games with this tricky variation, including a good RHP effort.
P. Kotsur - D. Frolov, Russia 1997
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 {The move that takes this into a Scotch game.} 3... exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 {5...dxc6 6. Qxd8+ leads to a difficult position for Black to handle.} 5... bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 {This is the key move of the Mieses variation.} 7. Qe2 {The only sensible reply unless you want to gambit (lose) your e-pawn.} 7... Nd5 8. c4 Ba6 9. b3 Qh4 {Not as popular as 9....0.0.0 or 9...g6 but this move has a few thorns to avoid.} 10. a3 {Given as best in some books. The threat was Qd4 or Bb4+} 10... Bc5 {Already I like Black, they are way ahead in development.} 11. g3 {Now the fun starts.} 11... Bxf2+ {12.Kxf2 then 12..Qd4+ and Qxa1.} 12. Qxf2 {Best. Instead of allowing the a1 Rook to be taken White gives up the h1 Rook.} 12... Qe4+ 13. Kd1 Qxh1 14. Nd2 {The Black Queen is in a tight corner. White is looking for Kc2 and Bb2.} 14... Nc3+ {Black releases the Queen with this move.} 15. Kc2 Ne4 16. Nxe4 Qxe4+ 17. Bd3 {Suddenly it is changing. White now has the Big D, and the Black Queen is still on thin ice.} 17... Qg4 18. Bf5 Qh5 19. h4 {Threatening 20.g4.} 19... f6 20. exf6 O-O 21. g4 {We are still in theory but it is now looking very good for White.} 21... Qe8 {The alternative 21...Qf7 may be better.} 22. Bb2 gxf6 23. Rg1 {A move I hope a lot of you would just play automatically. White has all their bits pointing at the King.} 23... h6 {Black tries to put White off playing g5.} 24. g5 {Another automatic move.} 24... fxg5 25. Qd4 {Never be afraid to go with a basic threat if you think it is the best move.} 25... Qe7 {White now played 26.Qh8+ and it was 1-0. We can look at a more instructive way.} 26. Rxg5+ {The idea is to allow the White Queen to give a check on h5.} 26... hxg5 27. Qh8+ Kf7 {If the King can reach e8 White has no attack.} 28. Qh5+ {White would not have this check without playing 26.Rxg5+} 28... Kg8 29. Qg6+ {Back to basic mates again.} 29... Qg7 {Only move.} 30. Qxg7 {Checkmate.}
nelathiass - Chesscase RHP 2009
1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 exd4 4. Nxd4 Nf6 5. Nxc6 bxc6 6. e5 Qe7 7. Qe2 Nd5 8. c4 Ba6 {No RHP player has played 9.cxd5 here which is a bit of a surprise.} 9. b3 {Black has to make sure White does not have a good Queen move to break that pin.} 9... O-O-O {In the previous game we looked 9...Qh4} 10. g3 g5 {Played to put White off from playing f4 protecting the e-pawn.} 11. Bb2 Bg7 {Now 12.Bg2 or 12. Nd2 is top choice instead we a see a TN} 12. Bh3 {I wonder if White had cxd5 and dxc6 ideas...Nah. That is crazy.} 12... Kb8 {Perhaps 12.Bh3 was to hold up a d7-d6 poke at the e5 pawn.} 13. O-O Rde8 {I would have played 13...h5. Maybe it will come later.} 14. Re1 {Now I would 100% go for h5 with g4 and h4 ideas.} 14... d6 15. e6 {White is putting that h3 Bishop to good use but it was an h5 and g4 then h4 target.} 15... Bxb2 {15...fxe6 looks better. That e6 pawn never does get taken. Now the Queen can get out of the pin.} 16. Qxb2 Nb4 {The threat of 17....Nd3 looked tempting but 17...Nf6 is better with g4 and h5} 17. Qc3 {The Knight has no flight squares.} 17... c5 {White will use that c5 pawn to crack open the b-file.} 18. Nd2 Nc6 {On b4 the Knight was encouraging a3 and b4.} 19. Rab1 {The right idea. get in b4 and open a file v the enemy King.} 19... Bc8 {Black is transfixed on that e6 pawn. How about 19...h5 and Rh6 for an active plan.} 20. Bg2 Bb7 {Admitting 19...Bc8 was an error.} 21. b4 {White is first to get an open v a King. On RHP first to go all in usually wins.} 21... cxb4 {Open files v Kings generate all kinds of tricks. We are about to see one.} 22. Bxc6 {22...Bxc6 and Black has defensive chances. But....} 22... bxc3 {...the bait was too big to ignore.} 23. Rxb7+ {Black possibly got as far as here thinking as long as I do not play Ka8 I'm OK.} 23... Kc8 {23...Ka8 24.Rb6 checkmate but there is another checkmate in there.} 24. Rxa7 {Ra8 mate next move cannot be prevented. Black resigned.}
