© Dec 2003 H. van Haeringen

Problems especially to prepare oneself for the Dutch Championship

Group 1 : Elementary exercises
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 2: Simple questions

Position 2.1

stelling21.gif (13111 bytes)

White: K e1, Ps b5, R b1, Kt e2, a5, f2, g2, g3 (4+4 pieces)
Black: K f8, Es e5, R g7, B b8, c4, f7, h4 (4+3 pieces)
2.1 W: White to move can win
2.1 B: Black to move wins quickly
Solution 2.1

Position 2.2

stelling22.gif (12103 bytes)

White: K g1, Ps a2, d4, f2, g2, h3 (2+4 pieces)
Black: K h8, Es b8, a6, e5, f7, g6, h7 (2+5 pieces)
2.2 W: White to move can easily win
2.2 B1: Move the black King to f8. Now Black to move easily wins
2.2 B2: Move pawn h3 to h2 and omit the black pawn on a6. Now Black to move also wins   (black King on f8)
Solution 2.2

Position 2.3

stelling23.gif (11744 bytes)

White: K g1, Ps c2, c3, f2, g2, h2 (2+4 pieces)
Black: K h8, Es b7, Kt g6, d7, e6, f7, h7 (3+4 pieces)
2.3 W: White to move wins easily
2.3 B: Black to move wins easily
Solution 2.3

Position 2.4

stelling24.gif (12847 bytes)

White: K f1, A e1, R h2, b2, g2 (3+2 pieces)
Black: K g8, A a8, Es g7, b7, d7, e7 (3+3 pieces)
2.4 W: White to move mates in  6
2.4 B: Black to move mates in  5
Solution 2.4

Position 2.5

stelling25.gif (15534 bytes)

White: K g2, Q e3, Ps h4, R h1, B f3, B g1, Kt f1, Kt f2, b4, c5, e5, f4, g3 (8+5 pieces)
Black: K h8, Es b1, Ps h5, R g4, B c8, Kt c7, a4, b5, c6, f7 (6+4 pieces)
2.5 W: White to move mates quickly
2.5 B: Black to move mates in  5
Solution 2.5

Position 2.6

stelling26.gif (12078 bytes)

White: K h1, V b4, B c3, Kt c1, a5, g2, g5, h2 (4+4 pieces)
Black: K d8, V f4, B a7, Kt d1, f7 (4+1 pieces)
2.6 W: White to move mates in  5
2.6 B: Black to move mates in  6
Solution 2.6

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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 2.1 W
1. Ps b5-a3 †
A. 1. ..., K f8-g8
    2. R b1xb8 †, K g8-h7
    3. Ps a3-f8 †
a. 3. ..., K h7-g8
    4. Ps f8-g6 †, Es e5-e8
    5. R b8xe8 † mate
b. 3. ..., K h7-h6
    4. R b8-b6 † etc.
B. 1. ..., K f8-e8
    2. R b1xb8 †, K e8-d7
    3. Ps a3-f8 †
a. 3. ..., K d7-c7
    4. R b8-b7 †
a.1. 4. ..., K c7-c6
      5. Ps f8-b4 † etc.
a.2. 4. ..., K c7-d8
      5. R b7-d7 †, K d8-c8 or e8
      6. Ps f8-d6 † etc.
b. 3. ..., K d7-c6
    4. R b8-b6 †, K c6-c7
    5. R b6-b7 † etc.
(Please note:
4. Ps f8xg7?, Es e5-d3 †
5. K e1-f1, Es d3-d1 † mate )

Solution 2.1 B
1. ..., Es e5-d3 †
2. K e1-f1, Es d3-d2 †
A. 3. K f1-e1, Es d2xb1 † etc.
B. 3. K f1-g1, Es d2xb1 †
    4. Kt e2-c1, Es b1xc1 †
    5. K g1-h2, Es c1-f1 †
    6. K h2-h3, Es f1-h1 † mate
Position 2.2
Solution 2.2 W
1. Ps a2xf7 †, K h8-g7
2. Ps f7xe5 †, K g7-f8
3. Ps e5xb8

Solution 2.2 B1
1. ..., Es b8-b2
2. Ps a2-c3, Es b2-c2
3. Ps c3-d5, Es c2-c1 †
4. K g1-h2, Es c1-f1 † mate

Solution 2.2 B2
1. ..., Es b8-b2
2. Ps a2-c3, Es b2-c2
3. Ps c3-b5, Es c2-e1 †
4. Ps b5-f1, e5xd4
5. f2-f4, d4-d3
6. K g1-f2, Es e1-d1 †
7. K f2-g1, d3-d2
and Black wins
Position 2.3
Solution 2.3 W
1. Ps c2-e4, threatening
    Ps e4xb7 and Ps e4-f6 † mate

Solution 2.3 B
1. ..., Es b7-b2
A. 2. Ps c2-d4 †, e6-e5
B. 2. Ps c2-e1, Es b2-d1
    3. K g1-f1, Kt g6-f4
    4. g2-g3, Kt f4-d3
    5. K f1-e2, Es d1xe1 †
C. 2. Ps c2-e3, Es b2-b1 †
    3. Ps e3-f1, Kt g6-f4
a. 4. g2-g3, Kt f4-e2 †
    5. K g1-g2, Es b1-e1 †
b. 4. f2-f3, Es b1-d1
    5. g2-g3, Kt f4-d3
    6. K g1-g2, Es d1-f2 †
Position 2.4
Solution 2.4 W
1. R h2-h8 †, K g8xh8
2. A e1-h4 †, K h8-g8
3. A h4-h6 †, K g8-f8
4. A h6-h8 †, Es g7-g8
5. A h8-h7 †, K f8-e8
6. A h7xg8 † mate 

Solution 2.4 B
1. ..., Es g7-f5 †
A. 2. K f1-g1, A a8-b6 †
    3. K g1-h1, Es f5-f2 †
    4. K h1-g1, Es f2-d1 †!
    5. K g1-f1, A b6-f2 † mate
Also possible is 4. ..., Es f2-e2 or f3 †
Also nice (but not mate  in 5) is:
    4. ..., Es f2-h3 †
    5. K g1-h1, A b6-g1 †
    6. A e1xg1, Es e2-g3 † mate
B. 2. A e1-f3, A a8-a1 †
    3. K f1-e2, A a1-c1 †
    4. K e2-f2, A c1-d1 † mate
C. 2. K f1-e2, A a8-a6 †
a. 3. K e2-d1, Es f5-d4 †
    4. K d1-c1, A a6-a1 † mate
b. 3. K e2-d2, A a6-c4 †
    4. K d2-d1, A c4xb2 † mate
c. 3. A e1-d3, Es f5-f4 †
    4. K e2-e1, A a6xd3 † mate
Position 2.5
Solution 2.5 W
1. Ps h4-f6 †, R g4-g7
2. R h1xh5 † mate

Solution 2.5 B
1. ..., Es b1-e1 †
A. 2. Q e3xe1, Ps h5xf4 †
    3. K g2-h2, R g4xh4 †
    4. Kt f2-h3, R h4xh3 † mate
B. 2. K g2-h3, R g4xg3 †
    3. K h3-h2, Es e1xf1 † mate
(Not
    2. ..., R g4xh4 †
    3. K h3xh4, Ps h5-g6 †
    4. K h4-g5 †)
C. 2. K g2-h2, Es e1xf1 †
    3. K h2-g2, Es f1xe3 †
    4. K g2-h2, R g4xh4 †
a. 5. g3xh4, Ps h5xf4 † mate
b. 5. Kt f2-h3, R h4xh3 † mate
    (or 5. ..., Ps h4xf3 † mate )

Transposition of moves is possible here
Position 2.6
Solution 2.6 W
1. V b4-c6 †
A. 1. ..., K d8-c8
    2. V c6-d6 †, K c8-b8
   (2.. ..., K c8-d8 3. B c3-f6 † mate )
    3. V d6-d7 †, K b8-b7
    4. a5-a6 †, K b7-a8 or xa6
    5. V d7-c7 † mate !
B. 1. ..., K d8-e8
    2. V c6-d6 †, K e8-f8
    3. V d6-d7 †, K f8-g8
    4. V d7-e7 †, K g8-h7
    5. V e7-f8 † mate

Solution 2.6 B
1. ..., Kt d1-f2 †
2. K h1-g1, Kt f2-e4 †
A. 3. K g1-h1, Kt e4-g3 †!
    4. h2xg3, V f4xg3 † mate
B. 3. K g1-f1, V f4-e3 †
    4. K f1-e1, V e3-f2 † mate
C. 3. V b4-c5, B a7xc5 †
    4. B c3-d4, B c5xd4 †
    5. K g1-f1, V f4-e3 †
    6. K f1-e1, V e3-f2 † mate
    (or 6. ..., V e3-d2 † 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.