Author: Dana Turnmire
Date: 22:48:41 12/20/02
I picked up a book entitled "Multiple Choice Chess" by IM Graeme Buckley. Here are six positions from the game Ward-Voskanian (1995) in which the best move must be made. I ran four different programs on an AMD 1800+ computer to see how they compared. I'm assuming since Mr. Buckley is a strong IM he typifies how a strong human player assesses a position. [Event "?"] [Site "?"] [Date "1995.??.??"] [Round "?"] [White "Ward, Christopher"] [Black "Voskanian, Vahagn"] [Result "1-0"] [ECO "D35"] 1. d4 Nf6 2. c4 e6 3. Nc3 d5 4. cxd5 exd5 5. Bg5 Be7 6. e3 Nbd7 7. Bd3 Nf8 8. Qc2 Ne6 9. Bh4 c6 10. Nf3 g6 11. O-O O-O 12. Rab1 Ng7 13. b4 a6 14. a4 Bf5 15. Ne5 Bxd3 16. Nxd3 Nf5 17. Bxf6 Bxf6 18. b5 axb5 19. axb5 Nd6 20. bxc6 bxc6 21. Nb4 Qd7 22. Na4 Nc4 23. Nc5 Qd6 24. Rb3 Rfb8 25. Nba6 Rb5 26. Rxb5 cxb5 27. Nb4 Bd8 28. g3 Bb6 29. Nbd3 Bxc5 30. dxc5 Qf6 31. Nb4 Rc8 32. c6 d4 33. exd4 Qxd4 34. Rd1 Qe5 35. Qd3 Qe6 36. Qd5 Ne5 37. Rc1 Ng4 38. Qd4 Qe2 39. c7 h5 40. Nd5 1-0 1. Solution: 21.Nb4 - This move begins the attack on Black's weak backward pawn on a semi-open file. Arasan 6.1 - 21.Rfc1 CM9000 (default) - 21.Rb4 Genius 7 - 21.Ra1 Ruffian - 21.Nc5 [D]r2q1rk1/5p1p/2pn1bp1/3p4/3P4/2NNP3/2Q2PPP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 21 2. Solution: 22.Na4 - Makes a forking threat on b6 and adds an attack on c6. Arasan 6.1 - 22.Nd3 *CM9000* (default) - 22.Na4 *Genius 7* - 22.Na4 Ruffian - 22.Nd3 [D]r4rk1/3q1p1p/2pn1bp1/3p4/1N1P4/2N1P3/2Q2PPP/1R3RK1 w - - 0 22 3. Solution: 25.Nba6 - This knight to a6 threatens to take control of the b-file and ...Rb6 is obviously prevented. Arasan 6.1 - 25.Rc1 CM9000 (default) - 25.Rc1 *Genius 7* - 25.Nba6 Ruffian - 25.Rc1 [D]rr4k1/5p1p/2pq1bp1/2Np4/1NnP4/1R2P3/2Q2PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 25 4. Solution: 26.Rxb5 - Splits the black pawns after the recapture. In this way White exchanges one advantage (Black's backward pawn) for another (the split b- and d-pawns). In addition, Black's d-pawn will become isolated. *Arasan 6.1* - 26.Rxb5 CM9000 (default) - 26.Rfb1 *Genius 7* - 26.Rxb5 Ruffian - 26.Rfb1 [D]r5k1/5p1p/N1pq1bp1/1rNp4/2nP4/1R2P3/2Q2PPP/5RK1 w - - 0 26 5. Solution: 31.Nb4 - An impressive multi-purpose move. White now defends the square c6 to aid in the advance of the c-pawn. Black has a passed pawn too, but for the moment its path is blocked and thus the b-pawn is not looking dangerous. 31.Nb4 also attacks the d5 pawn. Arasan 6.1 - 31.Qe2 *CM9000* (default) - 31.Nb4 *Genius 7* - 31.Nb4 *Ruffian* - 31.Nb4 [D]r5k1/5p1p/5qp1/1pPp4/2n5/3NP1P1/2Q2P1P/5RK1 w - - 0 31 6. Solution 37.Rc1 - If the queens are exchanged now, then the knight on d5 assists in the pushing the pawn to the 7th rank. Arasan 6.1 - 37.c7 CM9000 (default) - 37.Qxe6 Genius 7 - 37.Qxe6 Ruffian - 37.c7 [D]2r3k1/5p1p/2P1q1p1/1p1Qn3/1N6/6P1/5P1P/3R2K1 w - - 0 37
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