TKACH Simul UMass Sept 06

Puzzles part one

Solutions:

1. Yes. Instead of 10.Bb5+ Leo has 10. dxc! which leads to an advantage. Black’s lagging development and lack of good escape squares for the queen are key here. Some variations –

10. dxc -

A 10…dxc4 11. Rd1, Bd7 12. c6

B 10 …bxc 11. Nxd5!, Nxd5 12. Rd1, Ngf6 13. Bxd5, Nxd5 14. c4, Ba6 15. Qe4

White is at least a pawn to the good with no problems.

2. In the diagrammed position Leo played 19.f5 which loses a piece to Randy’s 19. …Bf8, opening an attack on the e-file. After Leo’s Queen moved, black played 20…Nxc3 and 21…Rxe3. If the Queen retreats to f4 to protect the Bishop, then …Nxc3 followed by …Re4, which chases away the Queen first. Black can also take the Knight first and follow with Bf8 etc, but that introduces another possibility for white with 20. fxg.

A better move for Leo: With 19. Nxe4, dxe4 20. dxc, Qc8 White is still worse but not in big trouble. Randy’s pair of Bishops are potent and Leo’s Queen is misplaced.

3. From the diagram Leo missed the devastating 19. Qb5, winning gobs of material. After that, even the slippery Stephan would not have a chance.