Monday, February 14, 2022

Solution to Purdy Problem

For the discussion of this position see HERE. Games
[Event "Black to move"] [Site "Chess World magazine"] [Date "1953"] [Round "?"] [White "?"] [Black "?"] [Result "0-1"] [SetUp "1"] [FEN "r3kbnr/pppn1ppp/3p1qb1/8/2B2B2/1NP1P1Q1/PP1N1PPP/2KRR3 b kq - 0 1"] [PlyCount "5"] 1... d5 {This assures that white can't carry out his threat to win the Q because of Boden's Mate. It's also the only move black has that does not lead to an inferior position. It's also interesting that in the initial position Stockfish says black is better by about a P and a half.} 2. Bg5 (2. Nd4 { This is the best. Even though white loses the B his position is not totally without counterplay, but in the end, his lead in development and space is not sufficient compensation.} dxc4 3. Nb5 Rc8 4. e4 Bc5 5. Bxc7 (5. Nxc7+ Rxc7 6. Bxc7 Bxf2 7. e5 Qf5 8. Ne4 Bxg3 9. Nd6+ {black is winning after} Kf8 10. Nxf5 Bxe1 11. Bd6+ Ke8 12. Nxg7+ Kd8 13. Rxe1 {Black still has an extra piece.}) 5... Ne7 6. Nf3 O-O 7. Rxd7 Qc6 8. Rxe7 Bxe7 9. Nfd4 Qd7 10. Bd6 Rfd8 11. Bxe7 Qxe7 {Black is up the exchange.}) 2... Qxc3+ 3. bxc3 Ba3# 0-1