Pandolf test 1 Tutorial



1.
@Q1
[{B:5bnr/pP1R1ppp/2k1p3/8/P7/1P2B3/5PPP/qN4K1}
{VB:Question 1 of 7. What is White's best move?;
b7b8N;Correct. White checkmates by underpromoting to a Knight. Sometimes less is more.:5;
Incorrect.;
d7d1:Incorrect. This move saves the Knight and stops checkmate, but it abandons White's important b7-pawn to Black's King, 1... Kxb7. Black will then be ahead by a full Queen, with an easy win.:0;
h2h3:Incorrect. This avoids mate, but throws away the Knight, 1... Qxb1+. After White gets out of check, Black will soon gobble the dangerous pawn.:0;
g2g3:Incorrect. After Black's Queen takes the Knight with check, he will have time to deal with the looming promotion, ending White's threats once and for all.:0;
b7b8Q:Incorrect. The automatic response, but a losing one. White makes a new Queen, but since Black is not in check, he can proceed unhampered and take White's Knight, 1... Qxb1+. White can delay the inevitable by tossing away two pieces, but in the end it's Black who mates.:0}]

2.
@Q2
[{B:32/4N3/2N5/3n4/4k1K1}
{VB:Question 2 of 7. What is White's best move?;
e4g5;Correct. No matter how Black responds, White will mate by playing his Knight to f3 on the next move.:10;
Incorrect.;
e4f2:Incorrect. White eyes a check at d3, but Black merely has to move his Knight to avert mate.:0;
g1g2:Incorrect. Black now forces an immediate draw by trading Knights on e4. White will then have insufficient mating material.:0;
e4d2:Incorrect. Black just takes back and the game is drawn by insufficient mating material.:0;
e4c5:Incorrect. Black draws by moving his Knight. Plain and simple.:0}]

3.
@Q3
[{B:r2Nk2r/ppp5/3p1n2/2b1p3/2B1P1b1/3P2pP/PPPQnPP1/RN3R1K BLACK}
{VB:Question 3 of 7. What is Black's best move?;
h8h3;Correct.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q4};
c5f2:This is not the best move. While this move doesn't force mate, it does compel White to dump a lot of material to stave off immediate defeat. The result is that Black comes away with a winning game, but this pales before a forced mate.{JD:@Q4}:4;
g4h3:This is not the best move. This looks reasonable, but it doesn't give check or force mate. White must play carefully after accepting the sacrifice, 2. gxh3, but he should survive, as long as he doesn't blunder into 2... Rxh3+ 3. Kg2 Nf4+ 4. Kf3?? gxf2#.{JD:@Q4}:4;
g4f3:This is not the best move. Very tricky, for taking the Bishop, 2. gxf3??, is mated after 2... Rxh3+ 3. Kg2 Rh2#. But White doesn't have to take the Bishop. Instead he can defend himself (say by 2. Be6), after which there is no mate.{JD:@Q4}:3;
g3f2:This is not the best move. Black gets dangerous chances, but White can defend with accurate play.{JD:@Q4}:1;
a8d8:Incorrect. Acquires the Knight, but allows White too much time to organize a defense. Besides, why win the Knight when there's a forced mate in the offing?{JD:@Q4}:0}]

4.
[{M:B}{S:g2h3}
{VB:Question 3 (cont). White has only one response. He must take the Rook, 2. gxh3. What is the best way for Black to conclude?;
g4f3;Correct. A beautiful pattern, where Black mates by the combined action of the f3-Bishop, the e2-Knight, and the g3-pawn.:5;
Incorrect.}]

5.
@Q4
[{B:7r/p2b4/2pp2k1/1pb1p3/4Pr2/P1PP1PN1/BP5P/3R1R1K BLACK}
{VB:Question 4 of 7. What is Black's best move?;
h8h2;Correct. This is the only way to force checkmate.:10;
Incorrect{JD:@Q5};
d7h3:This is not the best move. The Bishop moves in to threaten the Rook at f1. If White tries to avoid the loss of the exchange, Black has promising possibilities, but there's no forced mate here, and that's what matters.{JD:@Q5}:1;
f4h4:This is not the best move. By this move Black doubles Rooks on the h-file and threatens mate at h2. But it's not check, so White has the time to guard h2 with 2. Rd2. Black keeps his attacking pressure, but White should be able to defend and meanwhile he's up two pawns.{JD:@Q5}:1;
c5e3:This is not the best move. An annoying move, for Black menaces the same mate implied in the question. But White can live by 2. Nf5. Black may win back the pawns, but there's no forced mate.{JD:@Q5}:1;
h8f8:Incorrect. The wrong idea. It takes the pressure off White's true weakness (h2), while handing White a respite in order to deploy his defenses.{JD:@Q5}:0}]

6.
[{M:B}{S:h1h2}
{VB:Question 4 (cont). 
After 2. Kxh2, what is Black's response?;
f4h4;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q5}}]

7.
[{M:B}{S:h2g2}
{VB:Question 4 (cont). 
What is Black's response to 3. Kg2?;
d7h3;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q5}}]

8.
[{M:B}{S:g2h2}
{VB:Question 4 (cont). 
After 4. Kh2 (or 4. Kh1), what is Black's response?;
h3f1;Correct. Black discovers mate along the open h-file, while his criss-crossing network of Bishops guard the remaining squares.:5;
Incorrect.}]

9.
@Q5
[{B:2b2rk1/p4ppp/1rp1p3/4N3/4N3/1PR5/Pb3PPP/3R2K1}
{VB:Question 5 of 7. What is White's best move?;
e4f6;Correct. A surprising invasion, which leaves Black few options.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q6};
e5d7:This is not the best move. White forks Black's Rooks, but Black can save himself in a number of ways, including removing the Knight on d7 and then the Rook on c3.{JD:@Q6}:1;
c3g3:Incorrect. This threatens the same kind of checkmate but is easily refuted by taking the upfront Knight, 1... Bxe5.{JD:@Q6}:0;
c3d3:Incorrect. White doubles Rooks on the d-file, but this flops after 1... Bxe5, giving Black a winning game.{JD:@Q6}:0;
c3c6:Incorrect. Wins a pawn, but loses the Knight (1... Bxe5) and eventually the game.{JD:@Q6}:0}]

10.
[{M:W}{S:g7f6}
{VB:Question 5 (cont). In the main line Black takes the Knight, 1... gxf6. What is White's best response?;
c3g3;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q6}}]

11.
[{M:W}{S:g8h8}
{VB:Question 5 (cont). Black moves 2... Kh8. What is White's best response?;
e5f7;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q6}}]

12.
[{M:W}{S:f8f7}
{VB:Question 5 (cont). Black moves 3... Rxf7. How does White respond?;
d1d8;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q6}}]

13.
[{M:W}{S:f7f8}
{VB:Question 5 (cont). Black moves 4... Rf8. What is White's best response?;
d8f8;Correct. Note that on move one Black could swerve to the corner, 1... Kh8, but that allows mate a move sooner -- 2. Nxf7+ Rxf7 3. Rd8+ Rf8 4. Rxf8#.:5;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q6}}]

14.
@Q6
[{B:2k2r2/p7/1pq5/2p1n3/2P2n1B/1R4Pp/P1QR4/6K1 BLACK}
{VB:Question 6 of 7. What is Black's best move?;
f4e2;Correct. This sacrifice is made to open the f-file with a gain of time. If White tries to flee with his King to h2, Black mates with his Queen at g2. So White's best move is to take the Knight, 2. Rxe2:10;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q7};
e5f3:This is not the best move. This fails to 2. Rxf3, after which White should be able to hold.{JD:@Q7}:1;
h3h2:This is not the best move. Interesting, but no cigar. White holds the fort with 2. Rxh2. But not 2. Kxh2 Ng4+ 3. Kg1 Ne2+ etc.{JD:@Q7}:1;
f4d3:This is not the best move. This is a little trickier. If White doesn't do anything concrete, Black could still fashion a mate by sacrificing his Rook on f1. But White simply takes the d3-Knight, 2. R3xd3, and that thwarts the mate attempt.{JD:@Q7}:1;
e5g4:This is not the best move. No mate here. White takes the Knight on f4, 2. gxf4, and laughs all the way to the bank.{JD:@Q7}:1}]

15.
[{M:B}{S:d2e2}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). What is Black's best response to 2. Rxe2?;
f8f1;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q7}}]

16.
[{M:B}{S:g1f1}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). White moves 3. Kxf1. What is Black's best response?;
c6h1;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q7}}]

17.
[{M:B}{S:f1f2}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). White moves 4. Kf2. How does Black respond?;
e5g4;Correct, Ng4#. Note that on 3. Kh2 (instead of 3. Kxf1), Black mates by either 3... Qh1# or 3... Rh1#.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:@Q7}}]

18.
@Q7
[{B:r1bk3r/pp5p/2nN4/3N2qn/2Kbppp1/P7/1PP1B1P1/R1BQ3R BLACK}
{VB:Question 7 of 7. What is Black's best move?;
g5d5;Correct. An absolutely compelling sacrifice that draws the White King into an abyss. White must play 2. Kxd5:10;
Incorrect.{JD:-1};
c6a5:This is not the best move. By removing this Knight from the middle, Black significantly reduces the pressure on White's King. In fact, the White monarch will now take the suddenly unprotected Bishop, 2. Kxd4, for a dying man can eat anything. (He's not dying anymore.){JD:-1}:2;
c6e5:This is not the best move. Black keeps his Knight at the hub of activity, but he abandons the dark-square Bishop, 2. Kxd4, after which White should be able to fend for himself. There's no mate here.{JD:-1}:2;
b7b5:This is not the best move. Black goes for the kill, but in allowing the besieged defender to play 2. Nxb5, he lets the Queen-file start to open for White's Queen, which may soon be at the neck of his opponent's King. With precise play, White will escape to write his memoirs in peace.{JD:-1}:2;
c8e6:This is not the best move. This threatens mate in one move, so it shouldn't be sneezed at. But after the cold-blooded 2. Kb3, Black fails to snare the prize with 2... Qxd5+ 3. c4 Na5+ 4. Ka2. It's not a comfortable living, but White will get by.{JD:-1}:2}]

19.
[{M:B}{S:c4d5}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response?;
h5f6;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

20.
[{M:B}{S:d5c4}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 3. Kc4?;
c8e6;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

21.
[{M:B}{S:c4b5}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 4. Kb5?;
a7a6;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

22.
[{M:B}{S:b5a4}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 5. Ka4?;
b7b5;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

23.
[{M:B}{S:d6b5}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 6. Nxb5?;
a6b5;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

24.
[{M:B}{S:a4b5}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 7. Kxb5?;
a8a5;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

25.
[{M:B}{S:b5c6}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 8. Kxc6?;
e6d5;Correct.:0;
Incorrect.{JD:-1}}]

26.
[{M:B}{S:c6d6}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). What is Black's best response to 9. Kd6?;
f6e8;Correct. Note the harmony and cooperation of Black's team of pieces. His Rook, two Bishops, Knight, and King. If White tries to vary with 6. Bxb5 (instead of 6. Nxb5), mate follows anyhow -- 6... axb5+ 7. Kxb5 Ra5+ 8. Kxc6 Bd5#, which is a move faster than the main variation.:10;
Incorrect.}]