Solitaire Chess

Piece Play

By Bruce Pandolfini

Dealing with the c-pawn is a key concern in d-pawn openings.

In many d-pawn openings, neither Sometimes points are also rewarded for ing the white king the problem of where
player generally wants to develop so as to second-best moves, and there may be to hide.**
obstruct his c-pawn. Not only can the c- bonus points—or deductions—for other
13. Qb3 Par Score: 5
pawn be used to assail the enemy center, moves and variations. Note that ** means
but by moving it the queen suddenly has that the note to Black’s move is over and White unpins the d2-bishop and gets
access to the queenside. Naturally, there White’s move is on the next line.** ready to answer 13. ... Bxc3 with 14.
are lines ignoring this concern, where Bxc3.
7. d5 Par Score: 5
the queen-knight, for instance, develops
13. … Ne7
in front of the c-pawn. An example of the This advance seems annoying.
idea can be seen in the game Roberto Black gets the pieces out, connects his
7. … 0-0-0
Grau versus Edgar Colle (Black) from the rooks, and prepares to place the knight
San Remo 1930 tournament. Unfortu- at c6.**
8. Bd2 Par Score: 5
nately for Black, things didn’t work out so
14. 0-0-0 Par Score: 5
smoothly. Black got good piece play, but White unpins the d-pawn and threat-
in the end White got much better. The ens to take the c6-knight (1 bonus point). Now both kings are castled on the
game began: queenside.
8. … e4
14. … Nc6
Queen’s Gambit Declined, Black proposes an exchange of knights,
Chigorin Defense (D07) but the idea proves faulty. He should just
15. a3 Par Score: 5
Roberto Grau move the attacked knight.**
Edgar Colle White puts the question to the bishop.
9. dxc6 Par Score: 5
San Remo, 1930 If 15. ... Bxc3, then 16. Bxc3, forking
The move 9. Nxe4 is answered by 9. ... queen and g7-pawn (1 bonus point).
1. d4 d5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. c4 Bg4 4. cxd5 Qxd5 Qxd5, so Grau accepts the transaction.
15. … Bg6
5. Nc3 Qa5 6. e3 e5 9. … exf3
This postpones the decision of what to
r+ +k
lnr 10. cxb7+ Par Score: 5
do with the attacked b4-bishop.**

ppp +ppp 10. … Kb8

16. Bb5 Par Score: 6

+n+ + + Black hopes that the b7-pawn func-

q + p +
+ P +l+
+ N PN+
PP + PPP
R
LQKL+R
Your starting position
Now make sure you have the above
position set up on your chessboard. As
you play through the remaining moves in
this game, use a piece of paper to cover
the article, exposing White’s next move
only after trying to guess it. If you guess
correctly, give yourself the par score.
Deduct 5 points if you fell for 16. axb4??
Qa1+ 17. Nb1 Qxb1 mate. The attack on
tions as a shield for his king. Up to a the c6-knight forces the issue. If 16. ...
point, it does.** Rd6, then 17. Bxc6 Rxc6? 18. Qxb4 wins
a piece.
11. gxf3 Par Score: 4
16. … Ne5
11. … Bh5
What is this? Panic or an oversight? By
Black maintains pressure on the f3- now there is nothing better than 16. ...
pawn.** Bxc3 17. Bxc3 Qb6 but here Black is a
couple of pawns down.**
12. Be2 Par Score: 5
17. Qxb4 Par Score: 5
The bishop takes over the guard on f3
and the queen is thereby released. Now White has an extra piece to go
with his extra pawns.
12. … Bb4
17. … Qb6
Black figures on 13. ... Bxc3 14. bxc3,
messing up pawns on both wings, leav- If 17. ... Qxb4, then 18. axb4 Nxf3 is

14 Chess Life — October 2010 uschess.org

 Problem I Problem II Problem III
ABCs of Chess Unpin Mating net Mating net

+
r k + k q +r+ q+ + + k
These problems are all related to
key positions in this month’s game.
+ + +p+ +p+l+ +p + + +p+l
In each case, Black is to move. The +l+ + + +N+ + + + + + +
answers can be found in Solutions + + + + + + + + + + + +
on page 71. + p + + Q+ + + + + + + +
October Exercise: Correct evalua-
+ N + PK + + + + + N + +
tion depends on viewpoint. Niels + + + + + + + + P Q + +
Bohr once said the opposite of a + +R+ + +R+ + +K + K + +
great truth is a great truth. Let’s
imagine he was thinking about chess
and the following exercise. Work Problem IV Problem V Problem VI
with a partner (or software) to con- Removing the guard Discovery Mating net
test games from the other side of
the board, merging offense and
r
+k+ +
r
+k+ + + + + +
defense to color the picture. If play- + +p+ + + +
+ + +N+ + +
ing white, sit on the black side. If + + + + + + + + + + + +
playing black, sit on the white side. +R+ l + + + + + +q+ k +
Looking at it from another perspec-
tive opens doors ordinarily closed. It + + + + Pl + + + + + + +
also helps us realize a great truth: + N + + + + + + + K + +
chess games have two sides, if not P + + + RKP+ + + +Pn +Q+
more (there may be kibitzers). + + K + + + + + + + + +

just a losing endgame in the long run.

Black’s only practical chance is to keep
queens on the board, looking to compli-
21. e4 Par Score: 5
Deduct 5 points for allowing 21. Bxe5??
Qc2 mate.
Kc8 27. Qb8 mate.
26. … Black resigned. .
cate and confuse the issue.**
21. … Qf4+ + + +
r
18. Na4 Par Score: 5
pk+L+ppp
Again the knight moves with tempo on
the black queen.
22. Kb1 Par Score: 5
N+ p +l+
18. … Qf6
White’s king is safe and he threatens
various things: Bxe5, Na6+, or Rxd6. This + + n +
Run queen, run.** is Colle’s last chance to stir up trouble. Q +P+ +
19. Nc5 Par Score: 5
22. … Qxf3 P L + +
Full credit for 19. Bc3. The text invites Black threatens 23. ... Rxd1+ while KP + P P
Black to take at f3. undermining the e4-pawn.
+ + + +q
19. … Rd6 23. Rxd6! Par Score: 6
Final position
Now Black can answer Na6+? with White eliminates the d6-rook to set up
Rxa6. On 19. ... Qxf3, there follows 20. Na6+. Read this issue via our online viewer,
Na6+ Kxb7 21. Bd7+ (this is stronger download a .pdf file, and download a
23. … Qxh1+
than 21. Be2+, winning the queen, since .pgn file of this issue’s games—all at
it leads to mate: 21. ... Kxa6 22. Qb5 uschess.org.
24. Ka2 Par Score: 4
mate; or 21. ... Ka8 22. Nxc7 mate). These
same mates will pop up later. And if 19. 24. … cxd6 “Solitaire Chess” scores:
... Nxf3, then 20. Nd7+ wins even more Total your score to determine
material.** 25. Na6+ Par Score: 5 your approximate rating below:
20. Bc3 Par Score: 5 Accept only 4 points part credit for 25. Total Score Approx. Rating
Bxe5 dxe5 26. Na6+, dragging it out. 95+ 2400+
White is threatening not so much 21. 81-94 2200-2399
f4 (Black wiggles 21. ... Qf5), but 21. 25. … Kxb7 66-80 2000-2199
Bxe5 Qxe5 22. Nd7+, or 21. Nd7+ directly. 51-65 1800-1999
20. … Qf5 26. Bd7+ Par Score: 5 36-50 1600-1799
21-35 1400-1599
Black’s position is desperate and he’s It’s mate next move: 26. ... Kxa6 27. 06-20 1200-1399
reduced to one-move mate threats which, Qb5 mate; or 26. ... Ka8 27. Nc7 mate. 0-05 under 1200
however, are easily parried.** Equally good are 26. Ba4+, and 26. Be8+

uschess.org Chess Life — October 2010 15