In the mean time I'll enjoy the cool Canadian air, and the views of Lake Masawippi from our porch. So that you don't have weather envy and can have your Polly's chess here are some interesting positions from this past week.
This position is from round two of last week's "Four Rated Games Tonight!" I was playing a 1900 and we reached the following position. I'm White and it's my move. I knew that I was going to have to give ground to Black, but I think I probably picked the worst continuation.
I played 45. Ke2. This makes it too easy for black to penetrate and and pick off my pawns. 45...Kd4 46. Kd2 Kxc4 47. Kc2 Kd4 48. Kd2 c4 No way for me to stop the c pawn.
We had looked at 45. Kc3 but even that doesn't work out so well if he lays 45...g5. I still lose. However if he plays 45...Ke3 I have some chances. It's an interesting position to play out from the black side. Black has to be careful. If he immediately goes after the king side pawns with Ke3 it's not so easy. Possible continuation is 46. Kb3 Kf3 47. Ka4 h5 48. Kb5Kg2 49. Kxc5 Kxh2 50. Kd5 Kxg3 51. c5 h4 52. c6 h3 53. c7 h2 54. c8=Q h1=Q+.
But he doesn't have to play that way. Instead he plays 45... g5 46. g4 Kf4 47. Kd3 Kxg4 48. Ke4 Kh3 49. Kd5 Kxh2 50. Kxc5g4 51. Kd6 g3 52. c5 g2 53. c6 g1=Q 54. c7 Qg4. I never get to queen in that line.
In round three of that tournament I crushed an unrated. I'll put that game in another post. I should have posted it today since it's Wednesday, and it's almost worthy of Wacky Wednesday status. However posting these games were easier on short notice. After wrecking havoc o the poor unrated I played another 1900 in round four. I'm white in this position and overlooked a very good shot.
I played 35. axb7? Rxb7 36. Ra6 Be7 37. Rge6 Bf6 38. a5 Rc2+ 39. Kh3 Rbb2 40. g4 Rb3 41. Be3 Bd4. We stopped keeping score here, but eventually the c pawn gets through.
In that position an interesting try is 35. a7 Rxa4 36. Ra6 bxa6 37. a8/Q Kxg6. It may still be a win for Black with two rooks for the queen and the two passed pawns. Some masters who were watching thought I had a win with a7, but I think Black gets more then enough with the two rooks.
Tomorrow I'll post the 19 mover. Maybe that will be Thundering Thursday.
5 comments:
Sacre bleu! Hope you didn't forget your French Army Knife.
In the first diagram, you're thinking too hard. After 45. Kc3 Ke3 46. Kb3 Kd4 it's simply over, just like the game continuation.
LEP: LMAO! I love that one. I could use one those the next time I resign. Wave the little flag, and then use the cork screw to open a bottle of wine and drown my sorrows.
Ed: Black does have too many resources available to not win that game regardless. The one line I put there was based on quick analysis that people offered after the game was done. We were the last game done, and often people throw out suggestions that when you look at it deeper realize that it's a "hope chess" variation.
The 'unrated' that you beat was a 1600+
Anon: The unrated got a 1600 rating based on 4 games. He did beat a 1600 in the last round, but as the game I have in todays post indicates he's probably not 1600 strength.
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