Answs to Pandolf test 4 Tutorial



1.
[{B:3rr1k1/ppp2ppp/2pb4/4q3/4b3/2P1B2Q/PP2BPPP/R3K2R BLACK}
Question 1 of 7. In the diagram, which is the worst way to castle? Kingside or Queenside? Click "Next" for the answer.]

2.
[{S:e1c1}{S:a1d1}Question 1 (cont). Queenside is the worst of the two possibilities for White. How should Black respond to (1.0-0-0)? Click "Next" for the answer.]

3.
[{A:Be5c3}{D:1000}{R}{S:e5c3}1... Qxc3+ After 2. bxc3, Black ends it with 2... Ba3#. White makes the mistake of castling on the wrong side. Indeed, Black's Queen and Bishops ominously bear down on White's Kingside, though White's Queen is there, and it provides some defense. But Black's pieces are also dangerously poised for attack in the other direction, so White must be careful no matter what.]

4.
[{B:4rbk1/3q1pp1/4p3/1p2P3/2pN2Q1/P2pB3/1P3PPP/3R2K1}
Question 2 of 7. If Black plays 1... Bc5, can White win a pawn by 2. Nxe6? Click "Next" for the answer.]

5.
[{S:f8c5}{D:1000}{AB:d4e6}{D:1000}{S:d4e6}{D:1000}{A:Bc5f8}{D:1000}{R}{S:c5f8}No. White looks good, but he's overlooked 2... Bf8! The Bishop's retreat stops the mate at g7 while leaving the Knight in a losing pin. Since the Knight can't safely move, Black will soon take it. In trying to gain a pawn, White makes the mistake of self-pinning one of his own pieces, and that's a bad ambition.]

6.
[{B:r1b1r1k1/ppp2ppp/1b3q2/3P4/2B1P3/8/P2N1PPP/R2Q1R1K}
Question 3 of 7. Should Black play 1... Ba5, threatening to win the e-pawn by exchanging on d2? Click "Next" for the answer.]

7.
[{S:b6a5}{D:1000}{A:Wd1a4}{D:1000}{R}{S:d1a4}
This fails because White has the surprising counter: 2. Qa4! A surprising shot that forks the rook at e8 as well as the bishop at a5. Meanwhile, 2... b5 is met by 3. Qxb5 Ba6 4. Qxa5 Bxc4 5. Nxc4, and White has gained a piece. Black makes the mistake of pursuing a campaign before completing development. After 1... Ba5 his back rank remains vulnerable because he has failed to activate the queen-bishop.]

8.
[{B:5rk1/5ppp/p1B5/2Q1Pb2/qr6/8/1PP3PP/1K1R3R}
Question 4 of 7. Should Black play 1... Qa3, threatening Mate at b2? Click "Next" for the answer.]

9.
[{S:a4a3}{D:1000}{A:Bc5f8}{D:1000}{R}{S:c5f8}
No. This is a blunder. White gains the victory with 2. Qxf8+! After Black takes back, 2... Kxf8, it is mate via 3. Rd8+ Ke7 4. Re8#. Black erroneously analyzes his possibilities without considering the defender's counterattacking chances. Whenever you enter upon any committal plan of attack, always ask yourself one final question: Have I missed anything? As mechanical as this query seems, it serves the function of making the player look at the position one more time, and it's this type of carefulness that saves games.]

10.
[{B:2r2rk1/pp3ppp/2nbp1q1/3p1b2/NP1Pn3/P3PN2/3BBPPP/2RQ1RK1 BLACK}
Question 5 of 7. After 1... Qh6, should White continue with 2. b5? Click "Next" for the answer.]

11.
[{S:g6h6}{D:1000}{S:b4b5}{A:Bc6d4}{D:1000}{R}{S:c6d4}
No. White's move seems aggressive, but Black has the counter, 2... Nxd4! The point is that 3. exd4 loses to 3... Nxd2 4. Qxd2 Bxh2+! 5. Kh1 Bf4+, acquiring the queen. Nor is 3. Nxd4 acceptable because of the mate at h2. So 2... Nxd4! filches at least a pawn.]

12.
[{B:1r4k1/4nppp/q7/2p1bP2/p1PpPN2/P1rP1R2/6QP/2B2RK1}
Question 6 of 7. After 1. Nh5 Rxc1 2. Rxc1 Qh6, can White avoid the loss of material? Click "Next" for the answer.]

13.
[{S:f4h5}{D:500}{S:c3c1}{D:500}{S:f1c1}{D:500}{S:a6h6}{D:1000}{A:Wc1f1}{D:1000}{R}{S:c1f1}Yes. Although two of his pieces are forked, White saves the day with 3. Rcf1! Remarkably, this avoids material loss, for 3... Qxh5 runs into the queen-gainer, 4. Rh3. In falling into this (1... Rxc1), Black has made the mistake of superficially considering the final position of his combination (after 3... Qxh5), and not properly evaluating his opponent's counterchances. He placed too much emphasis on material and the realization of his own aims.]

14.
[{B:k6r/pp4p1/2b1q2p/4r1P1/3Qp3/P7/1PP1B1P1/1KR4R}
Question 7 of 7. Can White safely allow his g5-pawn to hang by playing 1. Rcd1? Click "Next" for the answer.]

15.
[{S:c1d1}{D500}{S:e5g5}{A:Wh1h6}{D:1000}{R}{S:h1h6}Yes. With 2. Rxh6! Black must lose big material. He can't take back on h6 with any of the square's three defenders without allowing mate. If 2... gxh6, then 3. Qxh8+; if 2... Rxh6, then 3. Qd8+; and if 2... Qxh6, then 3. Qd8+ also mates. Black's problem is that he's failed to weigh in the balance the sudden weakness of the back rank -- a typical misjudgment.]