Answers to Pandolf test 8 Tutorial



1.
[{B:rnb2r2/ppp1q1k1/3p1p2/6p1/2PPP2p/2PBB3/P2Q2PP/R4RK1}
Question 1 of 7. What is White's best pawn move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

2.
[{B:rnb2r2/ppp1q1k1/3p1p2/6p1/2PPP2p/2PBB3/P2Q2PP/R4RK1}{A:We4e5}{D:1000}{R}{S:e4e5}
1. e5! 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.]

3.
[{B:r3k2r/pp1nq1p1/2pb1n1p/3p1b2/3PpP2/1BP1B2P/PP1NQ1P1/R3K1NR BLACK}
Question 2 of 7. What is Black's best pawn move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

4.
[{B:r3k2r/pp1nq1p1/2pb1n1p/3p1b2/3PpP2/1BP1B2P/PP1NQ1P1/R3K1NR BLACK}{A:Bh6h5}{D:1000}{R}{S:h6h5}
1... h5! 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.]

5.
[{B:2rq1rk1/pb2bppp/1pn1pn2/8/3P4/P1NQ1N2/1PB2PPP/R1B1R1K1}
Question 3 of 7. What is White's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

6.
[{B:2rq1rk1/pb2bppp/1pn1pn2/8/3P4/P1NQ1N2/1PB2PPP/R1B1R1K1}{A:Wd4d5}{D:1000}{R}{S:d4d5}1. d5! 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 1. . . exd5, when White gets the upper hand with 2. Bg5! 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.]

7.
[{B:1qnrnrk1/1b2bppp/pp1pp3/8/2P1N3/1PN1Q1P1/PB2PPBP/2RR2K1 BLACK}
Question 4 of 7. What is Black's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

8.
[{B:1qnrnrk1/1b2bppp/pp1pp3/8/2P1N3/1PN1Q1P1/PB2PPBP/2RR2K1 BLACK}{A:Bd6d5}{D:1000}{R}{S:d6d5}
1... d5! 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,which is rebuffed by 2... d4! 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.]

9.
[{B:2k5/2p3Rp/p1pb4/1p2p3/4P3/PN1P1P2/1P2KP1r/8}
Question 5 of 7. What is White's best try? Click "Next" for the answer.]

10.
[{B:2k5/2p3Rp/p1pb4/1p2p3/4P3/PN1P1P2/1P2KP1r/8}{A:Wf3f4}{D:1000}{R}{S:f3f4}
1. f4! 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.]

11.
[{B:3r4/pQp4p/3pBp1k/2b1pP2/7q/2pP4/P1P2P2/4RRK1 BLACK}
Question 6 of 7. What is Black's most practical move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

12.
[{B:3r4/pQp4p/3pBp1k/2b1pP2/7q/2pP4/P1P2P2/4RRK1 BLACK}{A:Bd6d5}{D:1000}{R}{S:d6d5}1... d5! 
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 with 2... e4! 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.]

13.
[{B:r1b2rk1/pp1p3p/1q4p1/1BpPR3/7P/4Q3/PPP2PP1/5K1R}
Question 7 of 7. What is White's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

14.
[{B:r1b2rk1/pp1p3p/1q4p1/1BpPR3/7P/4Q3/PPP2PP1/5K1R}{A:Wc2c4}{D:1000}{R}{S:c2c4}
Question 7 (cont). 1. c4! This secures the Bishop while also obstructing the a7-g1 diagonal. Now if 2... a6, trying to drive back the Bishop, how does White follow through? Click "Next" for the answer.]

15.
[{B:r1b2rk1/1p1p3p/pq4p1/1BpPR3/2P4P/4Q3/PP3PP1/5K1R}
{A:Wh4h5}{D:1000}{R}{S:h4h5}2. h5! 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.]