Exercise II
Same test as in previous one. Setup the position and concentrate for 15 minutes as if you are playing on the board. Then suggest the move/plan and we will discuss it in comments. In both games it is White to move.
(I got the second one correct but completely failed in first game)
Solutions posted
First game is Petrosian-Spassky. Black is holding everything for now, but there is no counterplay and most of his pieces are poorly placed. White is playing 22. Bf1 to clear e2 for Nc3-e2-d4 with doubling the Rooks along c-file.
Second game is Day-Clayton. On the first sight, it might seem attractive to play on bad placed Na5, but both White and Black pieces are limited in maneuvering space. White can’t afford the luxury of wasting time because Black has concrete idea of trading Bishops on g5 and sacrificing exchange for opening files around White King. Note that in this case, Bb7 would become monster.
Therefore 24. Nce1! transferring the sleeping Knight to nice f4 outpost (if possible) or simply supporting Nf3 and Bg5. Now 24… Bg5 25. hg5! with idea 25…Bb7 26. Qh2!-Qh4-Ng2 and White grabs crucial squares. I was particularly proud to find this idea during the exercise. 24…Bb7 25. Ng2 Kb8 26. Nf4 Bxf3 27. Qxf3 Qd7 with roughly equal play.
Exercise III « Chess Strategy said,
Wrote on October 1, 2007 @ 8:52 am
[…] Some months after the Exercise I and Exercise II, it was about time for new challenge, and I picked one example from the absolutely fantastic “John Nunn’s Chess Puzzle Book”. What I liked was the pattern of identifying opponent’s potential and then imposing problems which he cannot solve. Give yourself at least 15 minutes on the board. […]