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Test Your Tactics solutions:
T-Y-T [Level 1]
Position Key move Minor 1 Minor 2
1 Rxd7! Qd5 Qb4
2 Nxb4 e3 Rb1
3 Rg3+ Qh3+ Bg4+
4 b5 [Qb8 or Qd7] ...
T-Y-T [Level 2]
Position Key move Minor 1 Minor 2
1 Bxg6 Bxg5 Nxc4
2 f5 [Rf8 or Rh6] ...
3 Nxe4 [Kh7 Kf7
4 Bg5! Qc1 Qe2
Level 1 October Solutions
Position 1
Key move = 1.Rxd7 This leads to mate: Although White is notionally giving up the exchange; what is really happening is that the black king is being decoyed away from the defense of b7. Once this pawn falls then the c6 pawn is also fatally weak and White’s c1 rook comes into play so that there are now three pieces attacking the enemy king.
[M1] = 1.Qd5. The idea with this move is to get the queen onto the same diagonal as the bishop so as to threaten mate on c7. White is again winning easily but not just as efficiently as the line leading to a mating attack.
M2 = 1.Qb4. Shares the same ideas as the previous line. Black would probably play 1…b6 when White is still winning comfortably. But having said that – it is not a good idea to give an opponent a glimmer of hope: One more mistake by White and maybe Black might yet stumble into a saving defence.
Position 2
Key move = 1.Nxb4. White’s position is somewhat disorganized and he lags in development. The key move begins to repair some of the damage by trading off one of White’s worst placed pieces for a [potentially] dangerous attacker. Note that 1.e4 is not possible because Black has either 1…Nc3 or simply 1…Bxe4 when the pawn cannot take the bishop.
[M1] 1.e3. Making way for the light squared bishop to enter the game. Black might well retreat the bishop to e7; now that White has passed up the opportunity to capture it. But possibly even better would be 1…a5 when Black will have good chances on the queenside and White’s a-pawn will be weak if the bishop is now captured.
[M2].1.Rb1. This gives Black the initiative and a slight advantage: He already has a few choices after the rook move. The most likely continuation would be 1…b5 – counterattacking the c4 knight. But there are others of which 1…c5 would be quite active since it applies pressure to the dark diagonal leading to the king.
Position 3
Key Move = 1.Rg3+ Well, clearly, things have gone badly wrong here for White and it is just a question of finishing off the game. There is in fact little to choose between the key move and M1. But since 1.Rg3+ mates a little faster, it has to be given as best.
A general principle here is that a move that increases the scope of an attacking piece still further is more likely to lead to a faster mate. By moving the rook to g3, the piece is not only attacking along the g-file – but now also along the third rank. This limits the king’s flight squares further in an additional direction.
[M1] 1.Qh3+ Takes a move longer.
[M2] 1.Bg4+ This takes several moves longer: In this sort of position one is looking to force mate rather than win material – even when that involves the queen.
Position 4
Key Move = 1.Nxe5! This is a variant of a well-known opening trap leading to a mate with three minor pieces; the light squared bishop and both knights. The nasty surprise comes if Black takes the queen: 1…Bxd1?? 2.Bxf7+ Ke7 3.Nd5 mate.
Consequently, the best Black can do here is to either take the knight – but lose the bishop and pawn or - a bit better, retreat the bishop to e6 and hope for the best.
M1 = 1.h3. Having missed the chance to win a pawn, this is a very solid alternative. Black must now either break the pin by moving the bishop yet again - or trade bishop for knight with a slight concession to White - since he now has ‘the bishop pair’. This is generally advantageous; especially if pawns are traded off and the position opens up.
M2 = 1.O-O. Castling is another solid but slightly less effective choice. It can be considered as ‘the best of the rest’.
Level 2 October Solutions
Position 1
Key Move = 1.Bxg6. This is quite a linear piece of analysis. White gets an advantage in an ending after 1...Bxe2.2.Bxg5 Bxd1 3.Kxd1 fxg6 4.Rxe6 Kf8 5.Ne4
[M1] = 1.Bxg5 A slightly weaker choice: 1...Bxd3 2.Qxd3 Qxg5 3.Qf5 Qxf5 4.Nf8 and the position is perhaps just fractionally better for White.
[M2] = 1.Nxc4. Black is certainly equal after this: 1...Bxf4+ 2.Kb1 Qg5 3.Rh1 O-O-O
Position 2
Key Move = 1....f5 The advanced pawns in Black's castled position are a liability and White will be looking for a way to open lines through the advance of his own a-pawn. Black must immediately strike in the centre in order to nip such ideas in the bud. The key move is really the only option in this regards and should not be delayed - especially as the white queen is not well placed just now to cope with action in the centre.
The possibilities fan out after 1...f5 but there are two main continuations: The reply 2.Qe3 is the most natural. But after 2...fxe4 3.Qxe4 Nd5 leaves the Black pieces better coordinated. For instance: 4.d4 exd4 5.Nexd4 Rde8 with the initiative. Alternatively; 2.exf5 Rhf8 3.d4 [leaves Black a handy outpost on c4] ...Qd5 4.Qe3 exd4 5.Nexd4 Nxd4 6.cxd4 Nc4 also with advantage to Black.
[M1] Either 1...Rf8 or 1...Rh6 [Fritz]. Both miss the opportunity to disturb the centre at once.
[M2] None given. If you selected both ...Rf8 and ...Rh6 then score one of them as if it was M2.
Position 3
Key Move = 1...Nxe4 Fritz is being over-ruled here [in its choice of 1...Kh7]. However, once given the move, it quickly agrees that Black's position is overwhelming. In this position I played 1...Nxe4 and the game continued 2.Nxb4 Ng3 3.a3 a5 and Black quickly won. Fritz give a stronger defence in 3.Rc2 Rxc2 4.Nxc2 but after ...Nxf5 assesses the position as lost for White. The piece sacrifice is the most dynamic continuation and lets Black's more active and mobile pieces set up various threats involving the doubling of rooks and/or the advance of his central pawns.
[M1] 1...Kh7 Fritz paid too much attention the the threat of 2. Bh6 and even after forty-five minutes 'thinking time' could not be shaken from its fascination with this threat relatively inconsequential threat. Nevertheless after 1...Kh7 Black still holds a clear advantage.
[M2] 1...Kf7. Same as above; but in this case the king is more awkwardly placed: Black should be considering developing threats along the f-file. It therefore does not help to have his king there.
Position 4:
Key Move = 1...b5. An opportunity not to be missed. Black takes advantage of the attack on both queen and c-pawn in order to force open a line leading to the White king.
[M1] 1...Qd7 or 1...Qb8. Fritz makes little distinction between these moves; both of which maintain an advantage but having missed the immediate value of the ...b5.
[M2] Since there are two moves considered as being of equal worth [M1] then, in the event that you short-listed both, score either one of them as M2.
