WELCOME TO SATURDAY SOLVING!
Look for new puzzles here every two weeks. Each will include the answer to the previous position and a new one to ponder.
It is worth noting that, in chess at least, there can be a very big difference between the truth according to the computer, and the truth according to human experience. Last week’s exercise saw a very good example of this theory. What white – strong GM Conrad Holt – played in the game may not have been a mathematically losing error. However, it put him in the uncomfortable situation of having to deal with a far-advanced passed pawn. Later in the game both players had their chances, but in the end, it proved too much for white to handle.
The point of the puzzle was to find the most accurate way for white to keep things together. If you haven’t seen it or want to give it another shot, see last week’s Saturday Solving at this link. Now, let’s see how he could have done it!
When revealed such resources can seem simple and hardly worthy of comment. In practice, however, basic oversights such as what occurred in this game can be the difference between a half point and a 0 on the cross-table…
Next up is a position stemming from an Open Spanish, in which white clearly won the opening battle and cashed in a few moves before, picking up an extra pawn. However, there is still work to be done. Can you find the alert mini combination which allows white to concisely take care of black’s counter play before it gets out of hand?
Good luck, and thanks for reading.
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