This is an actual position between 2 very strong GMs. Black is a 2700 GM! It is Black to move. What would you play as Black? In the actual game, Black played Qf4 then White played gxf4 and Black resigned. Can you do better?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Rh1+ seems to win unless I missed something the 2700 saw!
Simple ! it’s mate in two
1…Rh1
2 Qxh1 Qxh1 mate
Phil from Paris
http://phildornbusch.blogspot.com/
I think Rh1 loses to Kh1.
Whoa after considering Rh1 kh1 to save mate in 2. I looked at Rh1 kh1 .Qh5 check and the queen is pinned to the king by the white squared bishop. Seems we have to look one step further.
Better was 1 … Rh1+ 2. Kxh1 Qh5+ 3. Kg1 Bxg2. It is still unclear whether Black would have won the game, but certainly, he [Navara] would not have it lost in a few moves!
Navara was completely out of himself playing slowly and missing several combinations even before. I think he wanted to give Rh1 mate after gxf4, still unconfirmed:)
From edwinzwart@hotmail.com
Black should play Rh1.
Oh, come on Susan, this is so cheap… Everybody does this kind of blunders from time to time. What sort of question is that: “Can you do better?” Of course everybody can do better, almost any move is better than Qf4 (anything that does not instantly loose too much material). I’m sure that David Navara saw the winning line 1. … Rh1 2. Kxh1 Qh5 etc. but because of this incredible blindness considered 1. … Qf4 as even better.
And just for accuracy, David Navara is not 2700+ at the present time (he was on the previous rating list), but you are right, of course, he could beat you at any time :-).
Pavel
1..Rh1+ 2.Kxh1 (2.Qxh1?? 2..Qxh1#)
2..Qh5+ (…and the g2Q falls. R+N vs. Q => Black is winning)
Anonymous (Saturday, September 15, 2007 5:40:00 AM):
It was a very malicious comment.
I saw Rh1+ instantly. But that does not mean that I am a 2700+ player. In fact I am an unrated player. This can happen. Yes. Remember Kasparov once forgot to press the clock for 45 minutes. Can you imagine. However I really love this site and am a frequent visitor here
hum… Rxg3 seems to be 0-1 immediatly,no?
aw come on Pavel, you are so cheap. get a life, get your own blog, do not be so negative, and let us enjoy Susan’s blog without your nasty comments. Capiz?
When you are told there is something, then the something is easy/easier to find.
There is a concern that live audiences now having pocket-engines that can see such moves instantly might increase the tendency/temptation to jibber about this to people nearby and thus let on that something’s up. Based on some personal experience of double-oversights I think it’s not a problem in actuality, but the worry is that a losing player might seize on it as an accusation.
Susan’s remark is based on the idea that an experienced top player should know all the patterns, but actually this is a pattern I hadn’t seen before, and evidently neither had Navara! That’s why reviewing patterns like this on her blog (sans-computer!) is not a trivial exercise! Bobby Fischer Teaches Chess (interesting discussion) is like that.
What kind of 2700+ player plays Qf4????????
Was this a 5-minute blitz game or something?
Dear anonymous friends. First of all, I come to read this blog regularly. I higly respect GM Susan Polgar as a chess player and as an author of this blog as well. I enjoy a lot of her puzzles published here.
But this does not mean at all that I have to agree with everithing she says. I believe I have right to express my own opinion here as long as I’m not insultive. My previous post was ment to be a little ironic, but I believe that it was not insultive at all.
That one particular position published is definitely nice tactical exercise to solve and it is great to be published. What I don’t like is the way it is published. The title (including this 2700 claim which is simply incorrect and is included only to enlarge the effect) is simply made to make an effect, to yell out “Look how a 2700 player can be stupid”. That is simply my impression. I think that such a great players and especially David Navara (who knows him personally has to agree with me here) even more deserves much more respect than that. Who among us can say that he/she never put a piece en prise?
That is simply mi opinion. I don’t intend to force anybody to have the same opinion as me, you can disagree but you should respect my opinion.
Best wishes
Pavel
I agree with you Pavel ( as concerns your last post).
Be sure that Susan doesn’t want
to offend anybody on her blog.
And do you notice that names
of GMs she doesn’t mention at all here ?
On side note I know the name
of super GM ,who once was 2800+ rated,but forsaw MATE in ONE with very little chess material on the board.That’s way much stupider than
this blunder.The game was played last year.
Do I have to mention the name of that “moron”?
Still not convincing, Pavel… try harder. You still sound arrogant.
Anonymus is right. Rxg3 does seem to lead to a bigger advantage than Rh1 line.
renzo: If having your our opinion is too arogant for you, then good for you, you are not arogant at all. At least it makes life easier…
Pavel
pavel, you cannot even spell, to be judgemental. so stfu.
all of us are here to solve the puzzle, not to judge Susan.
so just focus and show us how good your analysis are. ok?
btw what is your chess strength?
I’m sorry for my spelling, I’m not native English speaker, so sometimes when I write fast, I make spelling mistakes. I believe, on the other hand, that my Czech spelling is much better then yours 🙂
If your best argument is “stfu” then it is pointless to discuss either about chess positions or about your own opinions if you are capable of having any…
My FIDE rating is around 2150…
Pavel
Looks like….Rxg3 wins?
Everybody just sayy “Rxg3 wins”. I can’t believe that this is a move that wins without the right continuation so anybody could probably post a bit more.
I (chess blind as poor Navara) do not see how black shell proceed after
1. -, Rxg3 2. fxg3
I just found 1. -, Rh1+ 2. Kxh1, Qh5+ so I’d really be interested in anyone saying me how Rxg3 (which loses in my blind eyes) wins.
Thanks.
Jochen
PS: Be nice to each other; in my eyes Pavel is right and I do not think he i attacking Susan too much.
But someone who feels so is also right to say to him that he should not do something like that.
But all that can be said in a normal and friendly style, expressions like “your arrogant” and even “stfu” won’t help…
which ending is easier to win? The best continuation according almost everybody Qh1+ or Re6 with threats to retreat the queen and QxQ is not possible (BxQ, Ng2, RxR, NxR, Rh1 mate). It’s less forcing, but I cant see a refutation
1. … Re6 is a nice try. But white can play 2. Rf1 and after queen retreats (e.g. 2. … Qf6) white can play 3. f3. So after all it is best to stick to the previous plan and play 2. … Rh1+ 3. Kxh1 Qh5+ etc. anyway. Hence it does not make such a big difference…