Christmas Chess Contest 2006 - Page 2

Rik Meleet · 19-01-2007, 22:56

Isn't Bg2 countered by Rxe5 and consequently piece-capture?

akots · 19-01-2007, 23:09

No, what I mean that after the first move Rxd5 and then Rxd5 white can try Bg2. But it does not seem to be enough for winning. Black has a few god moves like 2. ... e6 (with a very hard to evaluate rook ending) or Rd1 with some strong counterplay on the king's side threatening to capture all white pawns there. Also possible 2 ... Rd4 with the idea of Ra4 later if white advance the pawn and there is not enough time for white to play Rc3. So, all in all it seems that Bg2 does not win decisively. Whereas 2. Rc3 instead wins very easily. I'm thinking that 2. Bg2 actually deserves no points at all even with the right first move 1. Rxd5!

Rik Meleet · 20-01-2007, 00:27

sorry - wrong problem

akots · 20-01-2007, 22:36

I still cannot decide about what to do with 2.Bg2. It can win eventually since the white still can keep the advantage in most of variations there but it would be a much harder win than simple Rc3. I'm not qualified enough to analyze it to the end and I had to resolve to use an advice of a more experienced and better player at playchess.com and I strongly suspect he just used Fritz for analysis and I had to verify all variations. So, eventually, IMHO, it cannot be qualified as a completely wrong solution. So, since I have to decide on something finally, it would be worth half the points. Well, Rc3 or even a7 does not need any Fritz to analyze and see that it wins but formally strictly speaking, 2.Bg2 is also apparently eventually a winning variation. There is still a big issue as to whether the advantage that white would have after 2.Bg2 is actually enough to win.

As I've said, main defence lines lie with
A)
2. ... e6 (which is not a good move at all, it loses rather rapidly in the rook ending actually)
B)
2. ... Rd4. 3. Bb7 Rd8. 4. Rd3! Rxf4. 5. Rd5 b4. 6. ab4 Rxg4. 7. Rb5 threatening with Bd5(Bg2) and Rb8. In this variation there is little room for Ra4 chance for the black since white are not in a hurry to move the a6 pawn.
C)
2. ... Rd1. 3. Bb7 Rb1+. 4. Ka2 Rc1! but in this variation white can probably win as well.

On the other hand, instead of 2. Bg2 or 2. Rc3 also wins simple 2. a7 which is substantially more deadly than the variations above.

All-in-all, it seems that variations arising from 2. Bg2 had to be analyzed in greater detail and this had not been provided unfortunately.

akots · 20-01-2007, 23:04

There were total of 6 submissions. Not many, hopefully there will be more next year.

So, here are the final standings:

1. luceafarul - solved everything for whooping 27 points! This contenst it too easy for him.

A shining new cup courtesy of Mistfit awaits the winner in the CFC thread. Please everyone join to congratulate him:

http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=198125

2. IL2T (CFR) - solved all the puzzles correctly eventually but not as excellent as the winner. He got 24 points and his second place is uncontested.

3. Banzai - did not solve puzzle number 5 correctly and had small difficulties with puzzles numbers 6 and 3 but still the result is very impressive with 14 points a clear thirs place.

4-5. Rik Meleet and barbu 1977 - got 3 points each.

6. BuDDaH (CFR) - 1 point.

Thanks everyone for participating!

Socrates · 20-01-2007, 23:34

I'm currently playing luceafarul in the 2nd round of the CFC tourney.

He's playing the French defense as Black. I will do my best.

col · 22-01-2007, 10:45

Someone has to stop him!

19-01-2007, 22:56	#11
Rik Meleet Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands. Posts: 2,502	Isn't Bg2 countered by Rxe5 and consequently piece-capture? __________________ Social life ? Sounds like fun !! Where can I download that ?

19-01-2007, 23:09	#12
akots Nebuchadnezzar II Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Glover Park Posts: 4,459	No, what I mean that after the first move Rxd5 and then Rxd5 white can try Bg2. But it does not seem to be enough for winning. Black has a few god moves like 2. ... e6 (with a very hard to evaluate rook ending) or Rd1 with some strong counterplay on the king's side threatening to capture all white pawns there. Also possible 2 ... Rd4 with the idea of Ra4 later if white advance the pawn and there is not enough time for white to play Rc3. So, all in all it seems that Bg2 does not win decisively. Whereas 2. Rc3 instead wins very easily. I'm thinking that 2. Bg2 actually deserves no points at all even with the right first move 1. Rxd5! __________________ Cujusvis hominis est errare; nullius, nisi insipientis in errore perseverare Ciceron (Marcus Tullius)

20-01-2007, 00:27	#13
Rik Meleet Moderator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Nijmegen, Netherlands. Posts: 2,502	sorry - wrong problem __________________ Social life ? Sounds like fun !! Where can I download that ?

20-01-2007, 22:36	#14
akots Nebuchadnezzar II Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Glover Park Posts: 4,459	I still cannot decide about what to do with 2.Bg2. It can win eventually since the white still can keep the advantage in most of variations there but it would be a much harder win than simple Rc3. I'm not qualified enough to analyze it to the end and I had to resolve to use an advice of a more experienced and better player at playchess.com and I strongly suspect he just used Fritz for analysis and I had to verify all variations. So, eventually, IMHO, it cannot be qualified as a completely wrong solution. So, since I have to decide on something finally, it would be worth half the points. Well, Rc3 or even a7 does not need any Fritz to analyze and see that it wins but formally strictly speaking, 2.Bg2 is also apparently eventually a winning variation. There is still a big issue as to whether the advantage that white would have after 2.Bg2 is actually enough to win. As I've said, main defence lines lie with A) 2. ... e6 (which is not a good move at all, it loses rather rapidly in the rook ending actually) B) 2. ... Rd4. 3. Bb7 Rd8. 4. Rd3! Rxf4. 5. Rd5 b4. 6. ab4 Rxg4. 7. Rb5 threatening with Bd5(Bg2) and Rb8. In this variation there is little room for Ra4 chance for the black since white are not in a hurry to move the a6 pawn. C) 2. ... Rd1. 3. Bb7 Rb1+. 4. Ka2 Rc1! but in this variation white can probably win as well. On the other hand, instead of 2. Bg2 or 2. Rc3 also wins simple 2. a7 which is substantially more deadly than the variations above. All-in-all, it seems that variations arising from 2. Bg2 had to be analyzed in greater detail and this had not been provided unfortunately. __________________ Cujusvis hominis est errare; nullius, nisi insipientis in errore perseverare Ciceron (Marcus Tullius)

20-01-2007, 23:04	#15
akots Nebuchadnezzar II Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Glover Park Posts: 4,459	There were total of 6 submissions. Not many, hopefully there will be more next year. So, here are the final standings: 1. luceafarul - solved everything for whooping 27 points! This contenst it too easy for him. A shining new cup courtesy of Mistfit awaits the winner in the CFC thread. Please everyone join to congratulate him: http://forums.civfanatics.com/showthread.php?t=198125 2. IL2T (CFR) - solved all the puzzles correctly eventually but not as excellent as the winner. He got 24 points and his second place is uncontested. 3. Banzai - did not solve puzzle number 5 correctly and had small difficulties with puzzles numbers 6 and 3 but still the result is very impressive with 14 points a clear thirs place. 4-5. Rik Meleet and barbu 1977 - got 3 points each. 6. BuDDaH (CFR) - 1 point. Thanks everyone for participating! __________________ Cujusvis hominis est errare; nullius, nisi insipientis in errore perseverare Ciceron (Marcus Tullius)

20-01-2007, 23:34	#16
Socrates Emperor Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Seattle, WA Posts: 3,946	I'm currently playing luceafarul in the 2nd round of the CFC tourney. He's playing the French defense as Black. I will do my best. __________________ Sent from my Debian

22-01-2007, 10:45	#17
col King Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: South Sandwich Islands. Posts: 1,529	Someone has to stop him! __________________ I can't be arsed.