Pandolf test 8 Tutorial



1.
[{B:rnb2r2/ppp1q1k1/3p1p2/6p1/2PPP2p/2PBB3/P2Q2PP/R4RK1}
{VB:Question 1 of 7. What is White's best pawn move?;
e4e5;Correct. This is White's best pawn move, for it attempts to undermine the support for Black's g-pawn. For instance, if 1... dxe5 2. dxe5 Qxe5 (2... fxe5 meets up with 3. Bxg5) 3. Bd4 Qa5 (moving the Queen off the fifth rank allows 4. Qxg5+) 4. c5, and Black's Kingside pawns are vulnerable.:5;
Incorrect.;
c4c5:This is not the best move. White tries to soften Black's grip on e5 by diverting the d6-pawn. But this is unnecessarily preparatory.:1;
g2g3:Incorrect. This works only if Black ignores it. After 1... hxg3 2. hxg3, however, White has incurred needless weaknesses and gotten nowhere.:0;
d4d5:Incorrect. A space-gainer, but a positional blunder. Black now can maneuver his knight to e5, with active counterplay.:0;
h2h3:Incorrect. Since Black cannot risk moving his Kingside pawns any further, White's overly cautious play is out of line. More promising for White is to break through at once.:0}]

2.
[{B:r3k2r/pp1nq1p1/2pb1n1p/3p1b2/3PpP2/1BP1B2P/PP1NQ1P1/R3K1NR BLACK}
{VB:Question 2 of 7. What is Black's best pawn move?;
h6h5;Correct. Black prevents 2. g4, stopping White from expanding on the Kingside. There is nothing fancy about it. Black simply exercises a restraining influence over White's attempt to drive back the f5-Bishop. Black can make this wing advance (h6-h5) because the center is blocked and his King is safe.:10;
Incorrect.;
c6c5:Not too bad. But it doesn't grapple with White's threat to march ahead on the Kingside. Moreover, it's strategically stronger to leave the c-pawn at c6, bolstering d5.:1;
b7b5:This is not the best move. Black aims to stop the advance c3-c4, but b7-b5 is potentially vulnerable to the counter a4-a5. It also doesn't stop White's aggression on the Kingside.:1;
a7a5:This is not the best move. Black eyes White's b3-Bishop, but moving the b-pawn doesn't really deter White's plan to play g2-g4.:1;
g7g5:Incorrect. This just loses a pawn to 2. fxg5 hxg5 3. Bxg5. You can do better than that.:0}]

3.
[{B:2rq1rk1/pb2bppp/1pn1pn2/8/3P4/P1NQ1N2/1PB2PPP/R1B1R1K1}
{VB:Question 3 of 7. What is White's best move?;
d4d5;Correct. Black is unable to take on d5 with his Knight because of the mate at h7. So in order to avoid losing a pawn on e6 he must capture with the King-pawn ... exd5.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:5};
c1g5:Not unreasonable, but after 1... g6 2. d5 Black can hold by 2... Nxd5. Sometimes the right idea is to do the second idea first.{JD:5}:2;
b2b4:Incorrect. By advancing White acquires space but weakens his Queenside. Nor does it make sense to flank the Queen-Bishop when it has a perfectly good route along which to develop, the c1-h6 diagonal.{JD:5}:0;
c1e3:Incorrect. A solid but unnecessary building move. It strengthens the d-pawn, but White has other plans for it, so give it another try.{JD:5}:0;
f3e5:Incorrect. The square e5 is a great spot for the King-Knight, but moving it there now drops the d-pawn. Drop nothing, gain something.{JD:5}:0}]

4.
[{M:W}{S:e6d5}
{VB:Question 3 (cont). What is White's best follow-up?;
c1g5;Correct. Now to stop mate at h7 Black must block the b1-h7 diagonal by 2... g6. White then scores with 3. Rxe7 Qxe7 (if 3... Nxe7, then 4. Bxf6) 4. Nxd5, resulting in the gain of two minor pieces for a Rook. Sometimes the strategic advantage of an isolated Queen-pawn consists in its ability to advance and open lines for attack.:5;
Incorrect.}]

5.
[{B:1qnrnrk1/1b2bppp/pp1pp3/8/2P1N3/1PN1Q1P1/PB2PPBP/2RR2K1 BLACK}
{VB:Question 4 of 7. What is Black's best move?;
d6d5;Correct. Black menaces the White Knight. After the exchange 2. cxd5 exd5, the e4-Knight can't move to d2 because of the pawn fork at d4. That leaves 2. Ng5.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:7};
e8f6:This is not the best move. This clears the back rank, which is certainly desirable, but it misses a more gainful idea.{JD:7}:1;
f7f5:Incorrect. An aggressive riposte, but one that weakens e6. White can deal with it.{JD:7}:0;
e6e5:Incorrect. Black obstructs the a1-h8 diagonal, but at what a cost-- he gives up the square d5, and that's not the way to win chess games.{JD:7}:0;
h7h6:Incorrect. With this defensive ploy Black prevents the entry of White's Knight to g5, but the h-pawn then becomes a target. Additionally, Black remains a little cramped, with both Knights still on the back row. Opt for something else.{JD:7}:0;
e8c7:Incorrect. Black connects his Rooks, but does he really want his Knights at c8 and c7? He better check with an analyst, either chessic or psychological.{JD:7}:0}]

6.
[{M:B}{S:e4g5}
{VB:Question 4 (cont). How does Black rebuff 2. Ng5?;
d5d4;Correct. No matter how White replies, he must lose one of his Knights. As a strategic rule, the best way to answer a flank advance is to counter in the center.:5;
Incorrect.}]

7.
[{B:2k5/2p3Rp/p1pb4/1p2p3/4P3/PN1P1P2/1P2KP1r/8}
{VB:Question 5 of 7. What is White's best try?;
f3f4;Correct. This is the strategic thing to do, for White finds a way to mobilize his impaired pawn majority. He simply ditches the doubled f-pawn, so that after 1... exf4 the Queen-pawn can get going, 2. d4. From this position a game played by Bobby Fischer (White) concluded 2... Kd8 3. Na5 c5 4. Nc6+ Ke8 5. e5 Bf8 6. Rxc7 cxd4 7. e6, and Black resigned.:15;
Incorrect.;
b3a5:Incorrect. White wastes time shooting at a doubled pawn, but this helps Black out, for by advancing the pawn to c5 he secures the square d4, deterring White from a future advance of his Queen-pawn.:0;
d3d4:Incorrect. Too soon. After the exchange 2... exd4 3. Nxd4 White creates several passed pawns, but Black's Bishop prevents them from going anywhere -- at least for now. There's got to be a better way.:0;
g7g8:Incorrect. White hopes to win the a-pawn, but this removes the Rook from play, and that could be serious if Black's passed h-pawn gets going. Besides, Black's Rook can fool around too.:0}]

8.
[{B:3r4/pQp4p/3pBp1k/2b1pP2/7q/2pP4/P1P2P2/4RRK1 BLACK}
{VB:Question 6 of 7. What is Black's most practical move?;
d6d5;Correct. Black temporarily closes the a8-h1 diagonal, which threatens to give a perpetual check, with his Queen flailing away on the g- and h-files. If White plays the natural 2. Bxd5, Black can then maximize his chances.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:10};
h4g3:This is not the best move. Black gets away with this check because the f-pawn is pinned, but the defense is simple. White just inserts his Queen at g2, and the counterattack is thwarted. White wins.{JD:10}:2;
h4g4:This is not the best move. It's worth a try, but White ends resistance with a Queen block at g2. If Black turns down the Queen trade, his King might soon become engulfed. Give it up.{JD:10}:2;
e5e4:Incorrect. By blocking the a8-h1 diagonal, Black envisions a perpetual check. But White overcomes his opponent by 2. Qxe4, offering a Queen trade and preparing to shield his King with his Queen by interposing it on g2.{JD:10}:0;
d8g8:Incorrect. Correct me if I'm wrong, but this hangs a Rook, 2. Bxg8. To draw this game go back to the drawing board.{JD:10}:0;
c5f2:Incorrect. There's no need to take the f-pawn because in the starting position it's immobilized by a pin. After 2. Rxf2, the pin and the Bishop are ended, and so are Black's chances for a tricky draw.{JD:10}:0}]

9.
[{M:B}{S:e6d5}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). What is Black's response to 2. Bxd5?;
e5e4;Correct. Now if White takes with the pawn, 3. dxe4, Black then has a perpetual check. But this is actually better than taking with the Bishop, 3. Bxe4, which leads to 3... Rg8+ 4. Bg2 Bd6 5. f4 Bc5+, and White falls apart. As a strategic principle, when your judgment tells you that the game is lost, it's reasonable to consider taking unsound chances because you have nothing to lose.:10;
Incorrect.}]

10.
[{B:r1b2rk1/pp1p3p/1q4p1/1BpPR3/7P/4Q3/PPP2PP1/5K1R}
{VB:Question 7 of 7. What is White's best move?;
c2c4;Correct. This secures the Bishop while also obstructing the a7-g1 diagonal.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:-1};
a2a4:This is not the best move. This upholds the Bishop, but Black can toss away the c-pawn (c5-c4), opening the a7-g1 diagonal and producing some threats of his own. For example, White's Queen can't move too far away because f2 is under fire.{JD:-1}:2;
b5e2:This is not the best move. White saves the Bishop, but Black is still in the game. He could even consider taking the b-pawn (1... Qxb2), threatening a Queen check on b1 or a1.{JD:-1}:1;
b5d3:This is not the best move. The Bishop is reprieved, but Black is not without rejoinders. For example, he can take on b2, and the position becomes complicated.{JD:-1}:1;
b5a4:This is not the best move. The Bishop is rescued, but White's attack has come to a temporary halt. Black can take on b2, or he might sac the c-pawn (c5-c4), with ensuing complexities.{JD:-1}:1;
e3d3:Incorrect. White guards his Bishop, but Black plays 1... c4, issuing threats to the White Queen, the square f2, and of course the Bishop.{JD:-1}:0;
e3b3:Incorrect. After 1... c4 White has a lot to think about. How is he going to save both his Queen and b5-Bishop, while also stopping mate at f2? It would be interesting to see what he has in mind.{JD:-1}:0}]

11.
[{M:W}{S:a7a6}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). How does White respond to 2... a6, with Black trying to drive back the Bishop?;
h4h5;Correct. Black's Kingside is going to be ripped apart. He has no satisfactory defense against the exchange on g6, followed by the invasion of White's Queen and rooks. In order to execute an attack properly sometimes one must stop for a little defense. By dealing with the threat to his Bishop in a strategic way (insuring the closing of a key diagonal), White in this example is free to pursue his own plans unrestricted.:10;
Incorrect.}]