Author: Amir Ban
Date: 14:41:13 02/15/98
The group ECM 601 thru 700 is the most difficult part of the suite, though the remaining part till the end is almost as hard. I solve only 60 out of 100 of these in under 60 seconds on P6/200. The first half is mostly endgame positions, some of them pretty and very difficult (e.g. 603,605,607,608,615,621,626,640). The second half is mostly "routine" sacrifices on h7/h2. Since I had to go through many positions, I decided to break at 680 and post this: No. 601 (g4): This is a draw assignment. I don't know about this one, and I don't find any clear line here. It seems to be a positional test: If 1...g4 2.h4 and then white can make many different tries to win, and maybe they all fail. It looks like g4 is intented to prevent g4 by white, but I'm not convinced that failing to play g4 loses. E.g. 1...Kg6 2.g4 how does white win ? Recommend: Someone explain what this position is about. No. 617 (Rxa6): The idea is clear: 1.Rxa6 Rxa6 2.d6! Qxe5 3.fxe5, but is it good enough to win ? Recommend: Investigate. No. 623 (Rc4): After 1...Rc4 white mustn't take on c4, but the continuation 2.Rc1 Bc5 3.Kg2 Bxf2 4.Kxf2 is not an obvious win. I find Bc5 which is also not decisive. Recommend: Investigate. No. 624 (Qe6): 1.Qe6 Qe3 and I cannot find the win. Instead, I think 1.Kh2 wins. This is a complicated position to be sure. Recommend: Change key to Kh2. No. 627 (Qxe7): The key works, but I find a fantastic cook: 1.Rxd8 Rxd8 2.Rxg7+! Kh8! 3.Be2! Qe5! 4.Rxh7! Kg8 5.f4! wins. Recommend: Add Rxd8. No. 629 (b2+): I play here Kd6. I evaluate b2+ as a blunder, and can't find any merit to it. Recommend: Drop it. No. 634 (Rxe3): I find Kh7, and next move Rxe3 kills white quickly. Playing Rxe3 immediately does win, but the black king on g7 makes it complicated. Recommend: Add Kh7. No. 636 (Rxf6): I don't find this. The line 1.Rxf6 Rxf6 2.Rd7 Rg6 3.Qf5 Qc8 4.e7 Qe8 5.Qd3 Re6 6.Rd8 Rxe7 is good for white, but maybe not decisive. Recommend: Investigate. No. 653 (Bb5): This is from the WAC errata. The right move is Rh1. Recommend: Change key to Rh1. No. 665 (Bxh7+): After 1.Bxh7+ Kxh7 2.Qh5+ Kg8 3.Rf3 I'm still unclear on this since black has resources such as Nf6, Nf4, g6. They may all ultimately fail, I guess. Recommend: Investigate. No. 674 (Nxh7): I find Bxe6 (+96). I don't find the line 1.Nxh7 Kxh7 2.Qh5+ Kg8 3.f5 d6 to be better. Recommend: Drop it. Amir
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