Pandolf test 2 Tutorial



1.
[{B:r1bqkb1r/pp3ppp/2n2n2/1B6/5p2/5N2/PPPP2PP/RNBQK2R BLACK}
{S:e1g1}{S:h1f1}
{VB:Question 1 of 7.
Position arrived at after 1. e4 e5 2. f4 exf4 3. Nf3 d5 4. exd5 Nf6 5. Bb5+ c6 6. dxc6 Nxc6. How should Black respond to 1. 0-0?;
d8b6;Correct. It's easy to miss this fork -- for White because his last move was to castle, which usually safeguards the King, and for Black, because his own King is vulnerable along the King-file, so he's not necessarily thinking of issuing an attack. Here, castling actually exposes White's King to a deadly check along the a7-g1 diagonal.:5;
Incorrect.;
f8e7:This is not the best move. With this move Black develops and shields his King from checks. It also prepares Kingside castling, but it's not as good as winning a chunk of material.:1;
f8d6:This is not the best move. It develops and guards the f4-pawn, but leaves the door open for an annoying check along the e-file by White's Rook. Moreover, White can now save himself.:1;
c8g4:This is not the best move. This pins the King-Knight, but Black's King remains in the center, subject to pesky checks. It also gives White time to avoid losing substance.:1;
f8c5:Incorrect. This is a developing move, but it leads to a clear loss of time, for White can block out the Bishop by 2. d4, making it move again. Note the Knight on c6 is pinned and unable to support the possible capture of White's d-pawn, so Black cannot safely play 2... Bxd4.:0}]

2.
[{B:rnbq1rk1/ppppbp1p/3n2pQ/4p3/7P/1BN2N2/PPPP1PP1/R1B1K2R BLACK}
{VB:Question 2 of 7. Position arrived at after 1. e4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Bc4 Nxe4 4. Qh5! Nd6 5. Bb3 Be7 6. Nf3 0-0 7. h4 g6 8. Qh6. What is Black's best move?;
d6f5;Correct. On the surface, White has an apparent onslaught against Black's weakened Kingside, but the theory is made ugly by one simple fact -- White's Queen is a goner. After the Black Knight moves to f5, every square in the Queen's orbit is guarded by Black or obstructed by White.:10;
Incorrect.;
f8e8:This is not the best move. It is plausible, particularly with White's King still on it's original square. Now if White takes the King-pawn, Black has the possibility of an irritating discovery by moving the e7-Bishop. But White instead has the unpleasant intrusion 2. Ng5, when taking the Knight (2... Bxg5) allows White to retake (3. hxg5), opening the h-file.:1;
b8c6:This is not the best move. It develops a Knight and guards the assailed King-pawn, but it doesn't win any material, nor does it thwart the impending invasion, 2. Ng5.:1;
e7f6:Incorrect. This defends the King-pawn, and prepares to retreat the Bishop to g7, driving out White's Queen, but White plays 2. Ng5 and Black is in trouble.:0;
e5e4:Incorrect. This active response fails, for it merely compels White's Knight to invade on g5, with devastating results. Besides, everything pales before Black's actual winning move.:0}]

3.
[{B:r1bq1bkr/pppp2pp/2n5/4p3/4N3/5Q2/PPPP1PPP/R1B1K1NR}
{VB:Question 3 of 7. Position arrived at after-- 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nf6 3. Nc3 Nxe4 4. Bxf7+ Kxf7 5. Nxe4 Nc6 6. Qf3+ Kg8. How should White respond?;
e4g5;Correct. This threatens mate at f7. If Black takes the Knight, 2... Qxg5, White has the terminator...:10;
Incorrect.{JD:5};
e4c3:This is not the best move. White hopes to give mate at d5 with the Queen, but Black has several ways to meet this assault, including repositioning his Queen and retreating his c6-Knight to e7.{JD:5}:2;
f3b3:This is not the best move. This check forces Black to move up the d-pawn, which is suddenly pinned. But after 2... d5 3. Ng5 Nd4 (3... Qxg5 permits 4. Qxd5+ and mate next move), Black is in command.{JD:5}:1;
d2d3:This is not the best move. White takes the time to control g5, but this is needlessly slow. Better to win at once.{JD:5}:1;
e4g3:This is not the best move. Threatens mate at d5, which can be countered adequately by advancing the Queen-pawn two squares, 2... d5. Afterward, Black's center could become formidable.{JD:5}:1;
e4d6:Incorrect. A sly rejoinder, for if Black takes the Knight with the c-pawn, White's Queen mates. But 2... Bxd6 gains a free piece while clearing the square f8 for Black's King. Take another card.{JD:5}:0}]

4.
[{M:W}{S:d8g5} 
{VB:Question 3 (cont). What is White's response to 2... Qxg5?;
f3d5;Correct. Of course, Black doesn't have to capture the Knight, but if he guards f7 by 2... Qe7 or 2... Qe8, White wins Black's Queen by 3. Qd5+, forcing an unfavorable block on e6. White's Knight then takes Black's Queen, 4. Nxe6. After 2... Qxg5, White also mates by 3. Qb3+, but this takes longer (3... d5 4. Qxd5+ Be6 5. Qxe6#). As a hard-and-fast rule, it's always better to win sooner than later.:5;
Incorrect.}]

5.
[{B:r1bqr1k1/pp1nbppp/2p5/3p3n/3P1B2/2NBPN2/PP3PPP/2RQ1RK1}
{VB:Question 4 of 7. Position arrived at after 1. d4 d5 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Nf3 Be7 6. Bf4 0-0 7. e3 c6 8. Bd3 Nbd7 9. 0-0 Re8 10. Rc1 Nh5. How should White respond?;
c3d5;Correct. This steals a pawn, for if 2... Nxf4, White's d5-Knight takes back on f4, removing itself from the line of fire.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:7};
d1c2:Not a bad move. White doubles on the b1-h7 diagonal, threatening h7, weakened by the f6-Knight's transfer to h5. But Black has a number of ways to deal with the threat, including 2... Nf8, which also guards against potential tactics on d5.{JD:7}:1;
f3g5:This is not the best move. It's intricate, but 2... Ndf6 allows Black to hold everything together. For example, Black still exhibits life after 3. Nxh7 Nxf4 4. Nxf6+ Bxf6 5. exf4 Bxd4. Nor should Black be buried after 3. Bxh7+ Nxh7 (4. Nxh7 Nxf4 5. exf4 Kxh7 6. Qh5+ Kg8) 4. Qxh5 Nxg5 5. Bxg5 Bxg5.{JD:7}:1;
d3h7:This is not the best move. White attempts to force home a "classic Bishop sacrifice," but here it's not classic enough, for 2... Kxh7 3. Ng5+ Bxg5 4. Qxh5+ Bh6 5. Bxh6 gxh6 6. Qxf7+ Kh8 is not convincing. Black doesn't warrant an obituary yet.{JD:7}:1;
f4g3:This is not the best move. This averts the impairing capture on f4, but the Bishop can still be exchanged off, and meanwhile White misses out on the gain of material. Better to win something.{JD:7}:1;
c3b5:Incorrect. After this sally it's Black who gains material, starting with removal of the dark-square Bishop, 2... Nxf4 (3. exf4 cxb5). Tennis anyone?{JD:7}:0}]

6.
[{M:W}{S:c6d5}
{VB:Question 4 (cont). How should White respond to 2... cxd5?;
f4c7;Correct. Black's Queen is trapped. How did this happen? By removing the f6-Knight from the center, shifting it to h5, which weakened d5.:5;
Incorrect.}]

7.
[{B:r1bqk2r/pppp1ppp/2P5/8/1b6/5pP1/PP1PPP1P/R1BQKB1R}
{VB:Question 5 of 7. Position arrived at after 1. c4 e5 2. Nc3 Nf6 3. Nf3 Nc6 4. g3 Bb4 5. Nd5 Nxd5 6. cxd5 e4 7. dxc6 exf3. What is White's best move?;
d1b3;Correct. White's Queen skewers b4 and b7.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:9};
c6b7:This is not the best move. With this move, White seems to gain a piece, for 1... Bxb7 is answered by 2. Qb3, skewering the Bishops. But Black can stay in the game with 2... fxe2, hitting the f1-Bishop while uncovering an attack to the Rook at h1.{JD:9}:2;
a2a3:This is not the best move. Too slow. Black can now safeguard himself by getting the b4-Bishop off the b-file, avoiding line tactics completely.{JD:9}:1;
c6d7:This is not the best move. After Black takes back (1... Bxd7, for example) he should have no trouble meeting White's potential threats while castling and completing his own development.{JD:9}:1;
e2f3:This is not the best move. White temporarily garners a pawn, but Black immediately gets it back, capturing b7xc6 -- certainly not a transaction Black should fear.{JD:9}:1}]

8.
[{M:W}{S:b4c5}
{VB:Question 5 (cont). If the b4-Bishop moves to safety, say to c5, how should White respond?;
c6b7;Correct. Now 2... Rb8 is met by 3. bxc8/Q, and White comes out on top. And if Black tries instead to support the Bishop, say 2... Qd8-e7, White continues 3. a3, and no matter how Black continues he loses a piece either at b4 or b7.:5;
Incorrect.}]

9.
[{B:r2qk2r/pppbnp1p/2np2p1/3N2B1/2BbP3/8/PPP2PPP/R2QK2R}
{VB:Question 6 of 7. Position arrived at after 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 d6 4. d4 Bd7 5. Nc3 Nge7 6. Bc4 exd4 7. Nxd4 g6 8. Bg5 Bg7 9. Nd5 Bxd4. How should White answer 9... Bxd4?;
d1d4;Correct.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:14};
d5e7:This is not the best move. The problem with this move is that it only wins back the piece that White has already lost. Nevertheless, after 2... Nxe7 3. Qxd4, Black must be careful not to castle right away, 3... 0-0 (better is 3... Rg8) because of 4. Bh6 -- oops.{JD:14}:2;
g5f6:This is not the best move. Since Black is up a piece, he can afford to trade pieces with 2... Bxf6 3. Nxf6+. Although Black must move his King, he will survive, a piece to the good.{JD:14}:1;
d5f6:This is not the best move. After 2... Bxf6 3. Bxf6 Rg8 (3... 0-0 is met by 4. Qd2 and 5. Qh6), Black will soon clear out some space with moves such as Bd7-e6 and Qd8-d7, when castling queenside is not too far off. Let's not overlook Black's material advantage of having an extra piece, either.{JD:14}:1;
g5h6:Incorrect. This stops Kingside castling, but White still hasn't justified his sacrifice of a piece. Black controls the reins.{JD:14}:0;
c2c3:Incorrect. White hereby drives back the Bishop, but after 2... Bg7 Black will be able to keep things together, with a winning material advantage.{JD:14}:0}]

10.
[{M:W}{S:e8g8}{S:h8f8}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). How should White respond to 2... 0-0?;
d5f6;Correct.:0;Incorrect.{JD:14}}]

11.
[{M:W}{S:g8h8}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). How should White respond to 3... Kh8?;
f6g4;Correct.:0;Incorrect.{JD:14}}]

12.
[{M:W}{S:c6d4}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). How should White respond to 4... Nxd4?;
g5f6;Correct.:0;Incorrect.{JD:14}}]

13.
[{M:W}{S:h8g8}
{VB:Question 6 (cont). How should White respond to Kg8?;
g4h6;Correct. Note that 3... Kg7 (instead of 3... Kh8) allows 4. Nh5+ or 4. Ne8+ and mate next. Meanwhile, if Black takes White's Queen, 2... Nxd4, then 3. Nf6+ Kf8 4. Bh6# ends resistance.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:14}}]

14.
[{B:r1b1kb1r/1p3ppp/1p2pn2/3pB3/8/2p2N1P/PP2PPP1/RN2KB1R BLACK}
{VB:Question 7 of 7. Position arrived at after 1. d4 d5 2. c3 c5 3. Nf3 Nf6 4. Bf4 e6 5. h3 Qb6 6. Qb3 cxd4 7. Qxb6 axb6 8. Bxb8 dxc3 9. Be5. What is Black's move?;
a8a2;Correct. Played to exploit White's home rank.:10;
Incorrect.{JD:-1};
c3b2:This is not the best move. White retains his material edge by merely taking back, 2. Bxb2. Nor does the check, 2... Bb4+, mean much because of 3. Bc3, with further trades to ensue.{JD:-1}:1;
c3c2:This is not the best move. Black threatens mate at c1 by promoting to a Queen. He also is in position to usurp the b1-Knight. But 2. Nc3 insures the defense, while keeping the material superiority. The c2-pawn will soon be won.{JD:-1}:1;
f8b4:This is not the best move. The Bishop is now stationed to unveil a serious discovery, but White can just take the c-pawn, say 2. Bxc3, and this should settle matters in White's favor.{JD:-1}:1;
f6d7:This is not the best move. The e5-Bishop is in jeopardy, but 2. Bxc3 gets it out of danger while vaporizing Black's ambitious c-pawn. White should win.{JD:-1}:1}]

15.
[{S:a1a2}{M:B}
{VB:Question 7 (cont). How should Black respond to 2. Rxa2?;
c3c2;Correct. White cannot stop Black from making a new Queen. If White saves his Knight, 3. Nc3, Black promotes at c1. And if White guards c1, say with his King, 2. Kd2, Black promotes by taking the Knight at b1. There's no saving grace.:10;Incorrect.}]