Answers to Pandolf test 9 Tutorial



1.
[{B:2b4r/1p1p2k1/4rbpp/pN1Q1p2/P1P5/8/4RPPP/6K1}
Question 1 of 7. What is White's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

2.
[{B:2b4r/1p1p2k1/4rbpp/pN1Q1p2/P1P5/8/4RPPP/6K1}
{A:Wb5d6}{D:1000}{R}{S:b5d6}1. Nd6! This paralyzes Black. Now 1... Rxe2 is prohibited because of mate at f7. If Black tries to keep it together with 1... Rd8, White guards his Rook (2. Kf1) and then captures on c8, breaking through on d7.]

3.
[{B:8/6p1/3b2kp/8/2r4P/5R1P/6K1/1N6 BLACK}
Question 2 of 7. What is Black's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

4.
[{B:8/6p1/3b2kp/8/2r4P/5R1P/6K1/1N6 BLACK}{A:Bc4c2}{D:1000}{R}{S:c4c2}1... Rc2+ This forces a Rook trade, for 2. Kg1 Bc5+ leads to the gain of the Knight. After 1... Rc2+ 2. Rf2 Rxf2+ 3. Kxf2, Black establishes control with 3... Bb4! The Bishop corrals the Knight, leaving it without a safe move. Black will now use his superior mobility to force a win, with White's Knight unable to contribute. This example points out that you don't have to win material right away to get a winning hand. In some instances exchanges can be done strategically, so that the game reduces to a situation where one side's remaining pieces are dominant.]

5.
[{B:r4rk1/p1p3pp/2p1b3/2qpPp2/5P2/1PNQ3P/1PP3PK/4RR2}
Question 3 of 7. What is White's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

6.
[{B:r4rk1/p1p3pp/2p1b3/2qpPp2/5P2/1PNQ3P/1PP3PK/4RR2}{A:Wc3a4}{D:1000}{R}{S:c3a4}1. Na4! Black's Queen must surrender the a7-g1 diagonal. Whether it shifts over (1... Qb5) or retreats (1... Qe7) White clamps down with 2. Qd4! Black is unable to advance his doubled c-pawn and White's Knight enters on the tasty square c5, supported by her majesty from d4. At c5 the Knight will exert tremendous pressure over Black's game, and Black will be unable to dislodge it. As a strategic rule, Knights tend to get the better of Bishops when they can occupy squares on the 5th rank unassailably.]

7.
[{B:2r5/1b2kp2/p4np1/1p1p2Bp/3N3P/4P3/PP3PP1/3R3K}
Question 4 of 7. What is White's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

8.
[{B:2r5/1b2kp2/p4np1/1p1p2Bp/3N3P/4P3/PP3PP1/3R3K}{A:Wh1h2}{D:1000}{R}{S:h1h2}1. Kh2! White's plan is simple. He's going to march his King up to e5, attacking the pinned Knight for a second time, and leaving Black with a problem. If he repositions his Rook to d8, in order to shift to d6 to relieve the pressure on f6, White's Rook acquires the c-file ( Rd1-c1) and invades (Rc1-c7). This shows the value of maintaining a pin. It ties down the opponent's pieces to defense and general passivity. By keeping a pin you reduce your opponent's options.]

9.
[{B:r4rk1/4bppp/pqbp1n2/1p2pPB1/4P3/1BNQ4/PPP3PP/R4R1K}
Question 5 of 7. What is White's most strategic continuation? Click "Next" for the answer.]

10.
[{B:r4rk1/4bppp/pqbp1n2/1p2pPB1/4P3/1BNQ4/PPP3PP/R4R1K}
{A:Wg5f6}{D:1000}{R}{S:g5f6}1. Bxf6! White takes the Knight to secure the square d5. After Black takes back, 1... Bxf6, White seizes control with 2. Bd5! By this move White trades off the piece Black is counting on to keep out White's Knight -- namely, the c6-Bishop. After the Bishops are exchanged the c3-Knight occupies d5, and White has a strategically won position.]

11.
[{B:2k5/1p6/16/5n2/2B4b/7P/6KR BLACK}
Question 6 of 7. What is Black's best move? Click "Next" for the answer.]

12.
[{B:2k5/1p6/16/5n2/2B4b/7P/6KR BLACK}{A:Bf4d3}{D:1000}{R}{S:f4d3}1... Nd3! This traps the opposing King, reducing White to Bishop moves. After 1... Ba5, Black sets up the win with 2... Kd7! Not the only move that achieves the goal, but the one most relevant to the winning idea. Black triumphs first by eventually moving his King to e2 and then by maneuvering his Knight to f3. White is helpless to stop this, as in the variation: 3. Bb6 Ke6 4. Ba5 Kf5 5. Bb6 Ke4 6. Ba5 Kf3 7. Bb4 Ke2 8. Bc3 b6 (or 8... b5), when the Bishop must surrender control of either e1 or e5. Whichever one becomes available is used by the Knight to transfer to f3 for mate.]

13.
[{B:32/3k4/8/P2P4/1nbK4 BLACK}
Question 7 of 7. What is Black's best continuation? Click "Next" for the answer.]

14.
[{B:32/3k4/8/P2P4/1nbK4 BLACK}{A:Bc1b2}{D:1000}{R}{S:c1b2}Question 7 (cont). 1 ... Bb2! This temporarily saves the Bishop and threatens to salvage the Knight at a3. Black will then be able to win by picking off White's pawns and forcing an eventual mate. So White must play 2. Kc2. How does Black set up a win? Click "Next" for the answer.]

15.
[{B:32/3k4/8/PbKP4/1n6 BLACK}
{A:Bb2a3}{D:1000}{R}{S:b2a3}Question 7 (cont). 2... Ba3! White essentially must take the Knight, 3. Kxb1. What is Black's response? Click "Next" for the answer.]

16.
[{B:32/3k4/b7/P2P4/1K6 BLACK}
{A:Bd4d3}{D:1000}{R}{S:d4d3}3... Kd3! White has but one legal move, 4. Ka1, and Black continues 4... Kc2! However White moves his d-pawn, either one or two squares, Black then mates with the Bishop going to b2.]