© Dec 2003 H. van Haeringen

Problems especially to prepare oneself for the Dutch Championship

Group 2 : Simple questions
Group 3 : Advanced problems
Group 4 : Complex combinations
Group 5 : More difficult questions
Group 6 : Intricate problems
Please click the diagrams to enlarge them!

Group 1: Elementary exercises

Position 1.1 An "opening trap": Helpmate in 2

Stelling11.gif (14741 bytes)

In the ordinary chess starting position the Bishops on f1 and f8 are replaced by Empresses.
1.1 W: White to move and mate on his second move with Black's cooperation
Solution 1.1

Position 1.2

stelling12.gif (16796 bytes)

White: K h1, A g1
Black: K d7, A d8
1.2 W: White to move and mate in 3
Solution 1.2

Position 1.3

stelling13.gif (20136 bytes)

White: K c5, Ps a2
Black: K c7
1.3 W: White to move and mate in 6
Solution 1.3

Position 1.4

stelling14.gif (18438 bytes)

White: K e1, Q b1, V c5, R f6, R h1, Kt f2, a2, c3, e2, g4, h2 (6+5 pieces)
Black: K f8, V h4, R a6, B g5, Kt b6, Kt h8, b7, d6, e6, f7 (6+4 pieces)
1.4 W: White to move and mate in 3
1.4 B: Black to move and mate in 4
Solution 1.4

Position 1.5

stelling15.gif (11648 bytes)

White: K g3, Es f2, a3, b4, c2, d3, g4, h3 (2+6 pieces)
Black: K a7, Ps c3, d4, g5, h6 (2+3 pieces)
1.5 W: White to move plays ....?
1.5 B1: Black to move can easily win. How?
1.5 B2: Move the white King to g2. Can Black to move still win?
Solution 1.5

Position 1.6

stelling16.gif (18079 bytes)

White: K d2, V f6, R g1, Kt e2, Kt g4, c4, d6, e3, f2 (5+4 pieces)
Black: K f8, Q g8, V d8, R e8, B h7, d7, e6, f7 (5+3 pieces)
1.6 W: White to move mates quickly
Solution 1.6

Position 1.7

stelling17.gif (18778 bytes)

White: K c2, Q b3, Ps h4, B b2, Kt b1, Kt d1, c3, d2, d3, e2 (6+4 pieces)
Black: K h8, Q h7, Es d6, R c5, a7, f6 (4+2 pieces)
1.7 W: White to move wins easily
1.7 B: Black to move mates quickly
Solution 1.7

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Solutions

Hereafter we give solutions (not yet completed) to the problems formulated above. Next to the main variants most, but not always all, variants are given. A (small) part of the solution complex is sometimes left to the reader as an exercise.

Solution 1.1 W
1. Es f1-g3, Kt g8-f6
2. Es g3xg7 † mate
Position 1.2
Solution 1.2 W
1. A g1-d4 †, K d7-e7
2. A d4-f5 †, K e7-e8
3. A f5-g7 † mate
Position 1.3
Solution 1.3 W
1. Ps a2-e6 †, K c7-b7
2. K c5-b5, K b7-a7
3. K b5-c6
A. 3. ..., K a7-a8
    4. K c6-b6, K a8-b8
    5. Ps e6-d7 †, K b8-a8
    6. Ps d7-c6 † mate
B. 3. ..., K a7-b8
    4. K c6-b6, K b8-a8
    5. Ps e6-c7 † mate
C. 3. ..., K a7-a6
    4. Ps e6-c4 †, K a6-a7
    5. K c6-c7, K a7-a8
    6. Ps c4-b6 † mate
Position 1.4
Solution 1.4 W
1. V c5xe6 †
A. 1. ..., K f8-g8
    2. Q b1-h7 †!, K g8xh7
    3. V e6-f8 † mate
B. 1. ..., K f8-e8
    2. Q b1-b5 †, Kt b6-d7
    3. V e6xd7 † mate

Solution 1.4 B
1. ..., V h4-g2 †
2. K e1-d1, V g2-e3 †
A. 3. K d1-e1, V e3-d2 † mate
B. 3. K d1-c1, V e3-d3 †
    4. K c1-d1, V d3-d2 † mate
Position 1.5
Solution 1.5 W
1. Es f2-f7 †
A. 1. ..., K a7-a6 of a8
    2. Es f7-c7 †, K ...
    3. Es c7xc3
B. 1. ..., K a7-b6
    2. Es f7-d7 †, K b6-c6
    3. Es d7-e7 †, K c6-d6
    4. Kn    -c8 †
    and White wins

Solution 1.5 B1
1. ..., Ps c3-e1!
The white King is now tied to g3 so that Black can easily win. After some moves White will be in zugzwang (move compulsion).

Solution 1.5 B2
No, Black cannot win, for example:
1. ..., Ps c3-d5 †
2. Es f2-e4
or 1. ..., Ps c3-e1 †
2. K g2-f1
Position 1.6
Solution 1.6 W
1. Kt g4-e5
A. 1. ...., R e8-e7
    2. d6xe7 †, V d8xe7
    3. Kt e5xd7 †, V e7xd7
    4. V f6xd7 † mate
B. 1. ..., Q g8xg1
    2. V f6xh7 † mate
C. 1. ..., Q g8-g6
    2. R g1xg6
a. 2. ..., f7xg6
    3. V f6xh7 † mate
b. 2. ..., B h7xg6
    3. Kt e2-f4, B g6-f5
    4. Kt f4-h5 etc.
Position 1.7
Solution 1.7 W
1. Q b3-b8 †
A. 1. ..., Es d6-c8
    2. Ps h4xf6 †, Q h7-g7
    3. Q b8-h2 †, R c5-h5
    4. Q h2xh5 † mate
B. 1. ..., R c5-c8
    2. Q b8xd6, Q h7xh4
    3. c3-c4
and White easily wins

Solution 1.7 B
Black to move mates in 6 moves:
1. ..., Es d6-d4 †
2. K c2-c1, Es d4xe2 †
3. K c1-c2, Es e2-d4 †
4. K c2-c1, Es d4xd3 †
5. K c1-c2, Es d3-b4 †
6. K c2-c1, Es b4xb3 † mate

Also nice is:
5. ..., Es d3-e1 †
6. K c2-c1, Q h7-c2 †
7. Es e1-e2 † mate
 

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With thanks to the webmaster Marion van den Bol for her dedication and to Wim Vriend for the diagrams and his assistance in analysing these problems.

S.E. et O.