I reached the following position with black to move against Georg Meier in a recent OTB game. I was white.
Meier here played ..Ra2? allowing white an instant win, which sadly I missed in extreme time pressure and even ended up losing many moves later.
To see the win after Ra2?, you dont need an engine. I am quite embarrassed to not instantly see it during the game. It can only be an exercise to test if you are awake
The question for engines is does black have a better move and what is the evaluation? I saw a 0.0 for a while but when I played a few moves further, it lead to an advantage for white. Wondering what the best engines have to say about this position. I am hoping an advantage for white at least
This position may not be an ideal testbed for engines. It might be easy. What I find is that the engines see a variety of perpetual checks if white is willing and hence the 0.0 eval.
[D]2b5/rp3pkp/2pb3N/4rPPp/2P5/2QPp2q/1B4R1/1R4K1 b - - 1 32
Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
Moderators: hgm, Rebel, chrisw
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
Qe5+ is difficult to spot over the board, the discovered attack on unprotected rook on a2 is far from obvious.
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
[D]2b5/rp3pkp/2pb3N/4rPPp/2P5/2QPp2q/1B4R1/1R4K1 b - - 1 32
Critter says Black can draw:
Critter says Black can draw:
Code: Select all
Critter v1.4 64-bit SSE4, by Richard Vida
setboard 2b5/rp3pkp/2pb3N/4rPPp/2P5/2QPp2q/1B4R1/1R4K1 b - - 1 32
info string Opening book: "book.cbk" - 57853 entries [native]
info string GTB Init OK (5 piece set)
info string Using 8 thread(s), 2048 MB hash
go infinite
2/ 3 00:00 225 25000 +2.68 Bxf5 Qc2
3/ 5 00:00 1442 144200 +2.44 Bxf5 Rf1 Bg6 Qd4
4/ 7 00:00 2357 214272 +2.18 Bxf5 Nxf5+ Qxf5 Rf1 Qh3 Qe1 b5 Bxe5+ Bxe5 cxb5 cxb5
5/ 8 00:00 3775 314583 +1.92 Bxf5 Rf1 Bg6 Qb3 Qe6 Bd4
6/14 00:00 22562 805785 -2.35 Bxf5 Qd4 e2 Nxf5+ Qxf5 Qxa7 Qxd3 Re1 b5 Rexe2
6/14 00:00 26027 839580 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Raa5 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
6/14 00:00 31610 878055 +0.02 b5 cxb5 c5 Qc4 Bxf5 Rf1 Be6 Bxe5+ Bxe5 Qxc5
6/14 00:00 39067 930166 +0.65 Bc7 Qd4 Raa5 Qf4 Kf8 Bxe5 Bxe5
7/14 00:00 46211 962729 +0.64 Bc7 Qd4 Raa5 Qf4 e2 c5 Raxc5 Rxe2 Qxd3 Bxe5+ Bxe5 f6+ Kf8
8/20+ 00:00 64116 1124842 +0.73 c5 d4 Re8 dxc5+ Be5
8/20+ 00:00 64541 1132298 +0.82 c5 d4 Re8 dxc5+ Be5
8/20 00:00 72778 1155206 +0.83 c5 Qe1 f6 Ra1 Rxa1 Qxa1 Bxf5 gxf6+ Kxf6 Nf7 Kxf7 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Bxd3 Qxc5
9/22- 00:00 100338 1320236 +0.74 c5 Qe1 f6 Ra1 Rxa1 Qxa1 Bxf5 gxf6+ Kxf6 Nf7 Kxf7 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Bxd3 Qxc5
9/22- 00:00 110900 1369135 +0.66 c5 Qe1 f6 Ra1 Rxa1 Qxa1 Bxf5 gxf6+ Kxf6 Nf7 Kxf7 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Bxd3 Qxc5
9/22 00:00 116197 1399963 +0.62 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2
10/27+ 00:00 163762 1705854 +0.71 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2
10/27- 00:00 224001 2000008 +0.53 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2
10/27- 00:00 257744 2061952 +0.45 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2
10/27- 00:00 308246 2082743 +0.32 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2
10/27- 00:00 390951 2234005 +0.13 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2
10/31 00:00 427953 2252384 +0.00 c5 d4 Re8 dxc5+ Be5 Qxe5+ Rxe5 Bxe5+ Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bd6+ Kg7 Be5+ f6 Bxf6+ Kf8 Rxe3 Ra2 Be7+ Kg7 Bf6+ Kf8
11/31 00:00 931585 2948053 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
12/31 00:00 1194958 3212252 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
13/31 00:00 2046303 4044077 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
14/34 00:00 4134771 5207520 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
15/37 00:01 6338166 6007740 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
16/40 00:01 12040000 7065727 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
17/43 00:03 24409393 7881625 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
18/45 00:06 54363985 8709385 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
19/52 00:10 102475168 9386751 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
20/52 00:18 178073728 9671612 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
21/54 00:38 389169763 10166399 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
22/56 01:11 735264231 10325584 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
23/60 01:55 1200948361 10371510 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
24/63 03:48 2399098329 10504715 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
25/66 07:48 5024507329 10722380 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
muxecoid wrote:Qe5+ is difficult to spot over the board, the discovered attack on unprotected rook on a2 is far from obvious.
I disagree, I saw this almost instantly, as I suspect most players will. The line is forced, you recapture losing material or the king gets mated. What could be easier?
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
I showed this position to a few players in the tournament. Most people were able to see it instantly without issue.Robert Flesher wrote:muxecoid wrote:Qe5+ is difficult to spot over the board, the discovered attack on unprotected rook on a2 is far from obvious.
I disagree, I saw this almost instantly, as I suspect most players will. The line is forced, you recapture losing material or the king gets mated. What could be easier?
Time pressure makes it a bit harder. The fact that a strong player like Meier allows it in a classical time control game means it not 100% trivial. Incidentally, Meier told me that he saw Qe5+ immediately after he played Ra2. I would still say the problem is simple but not drop dead trivial.
Personally, I feel strange that a strong GM would play a move that loses the house. I think that if the position is sufficiently crazy, all players should be on the lookout for tactical errors. This position qualifies as crazy at least to my "naive" eyes.
To build on the comments, it can be harder to find this in time pressure but one should always be on the lookup for checks and captures especially in time pressure.
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
Thanks, will try to improve on this particular line and get back. I had a few ideas.zullil wrote:[D]2b5/rp3pkp/2pb3N/4rPPp/2P5/2QPp2q/1B4R1/1R4K1 b - - 1 32
Critter says Black can draw:
Code: Select all
Critter v1.4 64-bit SSE4, by Richard Vida setboard 2b5/rp3pkp/2pb3N/4rPPp/2P5/2QPp2q/1B4R1/1R4K1 b - - 1 32 info string Opening book: "book.cbk" - 57853 entries [native] info string GTB Init OK (5 piece set) info string Using 8 thread(s), 2048 MB hash go infinite 2/ 3 00:00 225 25000 +2.68 Bxf5 Qc2 3/ 5 00:00 1442 144200 +2.44 Bxf5 Rf1 Bg6 Qd4 4/ 7 00:00 2357 214272 +2.18 Bxf5 Nxf5+ Qxf5 Rf1 Qh3 Qe1 b5 Bxe5+ Bxe5 cxb5 cxb5 5/ 8 00:00 3775 314583 +1.92 Bxf5 Rf1 Bg6 Qb3 Qe6 Bd4 6/14 00:00 22562 805785 -2.35 Bxf5 Qd4 e2 Nxf5+ Qxf5 Qxa7 Qxd3 Re1 b5 Rexe2 6/14 00:00 26027 839580 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Raa5 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 6/14 00:00 31610 878055 +0.02 b5 cxb5 c5 Qc4 Bxf5 Rf1 Be6 Bxe5+ Bxe5 Qxc5 6/14 00:00 39067 930166 +0.65 Bc7 Qd4 Raa5 Qf4 Kf8 Bxe5 Bxe5 7/14 00:00 46211 962729 +0.64 Bc7 Qd4 Raa5 Qf4 e2 c5 Raxc5 Rxe2 Qxd3 Bxe5+ Bxe5 f6+ Kf8 8/20+ 00:00 64116 1124842 +0.73 c5 d4 Re8 dxc5+ Be5 8/20+ 00:00 64541 1132298 +0.82 c5 d4 Re8 dxc5+ Be5 8/20 00:00 72778 1155206 +0.83 c5 Qe1 f6 Ra1 Rxa1 Qxa1 Bxf5 gxf6+ Kxf6 Nf7 Kxf7 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Bxd3 Qxc5 9/22- 00:00 100338 1320236 +0.74 c5 Qe1 f6 Ra1 Rxa1 Qxa1 Bxf5 gxf6+ Kxf6 Nf7 Kxf7 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Bxd3 Qxc5 9/22- 00:00 110900 1369135 +0.66 c5 Qe1 f6 Ra1 Rxa1 Qxa1 Bxf5 gxf6+ Kxf6 Nf7 Kxf7 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qxe5 Bxd3 Qxc5 9/22 00:00 116197 1399963 +0.62 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2 10/27+ 00:00 163762 1705854 +0.71 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2 10/27- 00:00 224001 2000008 +0.53 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2 10/27- 00:00 257744 2061952 +0.45 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2 10/27- 00:00 308246 2082743 +0.32 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2 10/27- 00:00 390951 2234005 +0.13 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1 Ra2 Re2 10/31 00:00 427953 2252384 +0.00 c5 d4 Re8 dxc5+ Be5 Qxe5+ Rxe5 Bxe5+ Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bd6+ Kg7 Be5+ f6 Bxf6+ Kf8 Rxe3 Ra2 Be7+ Kg7 Bf6+ Kf8 11/31 00:00 931585 2948053 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 12/31 00:00 1194958 3212252 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 13/31 00:00 2046303 4044077 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 14/34 00:00 4134771 5207520 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 15/37 00:01 6338166 6007740 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 16/40 00:01 12040000 7065727 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 17/43 00:03 24409393 7881625 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 18/45 00:06 54363985 8709385 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 19/52 00:10 102475168 9386751 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 20/52 00:18 178073728 9671612 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 21/54 00:38 389169763 10166399 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 22/56 01:11 735264231 10325584 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 23/60 01:55 1200948361 10371510 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 24/63 03:48 2399098329 10504715 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+ 25/66 07:48 5024507329 10722380 +0.00 e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Kg1 Qe3+
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
Here's what Stockfish-2.2.2 (8 threads, 2GB hash) offers:
Code: Select all
Searching: 2b5/rp3pkp/2pb3N/4rPPp/2P5/2QPp2q/1B4R1/1R4K1 b - - 1 32
infinite: 1 ponder: 0 time: 0 increment: 0 moves to go: 0
1 +3.80 00:01 1005 Bxf5 Nxf5+ Qxf5
2 +3.19 00:01 1678 Bxf5 Rf1
3 +2.02 00:01 7618 c5 Qe1 f6 Bxe5 Bxe5
4 +1.70 00:01 8454 c5 Qe1 f6 Qf1
5 +1.54 00:01 16259 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rg3 Qh4 Bxe5 Bxe5 Rxe3 Qxg5+ Kf1
6 +2.10 00:01 19914 c5 Qe1 Kf8 Rh2 Qf3 Bxe5 Bxe5
7 +1.66 00:01 28905 c5 Rh2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qf4 Qe1 Kf8 Bxe5 Bxe5
8 +0.12 00:01 68689 c5 Rh2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qf3 Rf1 Qh3 Qe1 Bc7 Bxe5+ Bxe5 Qe2
9 +0.00 00:01 86300 c5 Rh2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qh3
10 +0.00 00:01 103842 c5 Rh2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qh3
11 +0.00 00:01 147615 c5 Rh2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qh3
12 +0.61 00:01 313630 c5 Rh2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qh4 Qb3 e2 Rxe2 Qg3+ Rg2 Qe3+ Rf2
Kf8 Bxe5 Bxe5 Qb6 Qxg5+ Kf1
13 +0.00 00:01 1112K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
14 +0.00 00:01 1243K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
15 +0.00 00:01 1350K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
16 +0.00 00:01 1614K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
17 +0.00 00:01 2029K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
18 +0.00 00:01 2707K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
19 +0.00 00:01 3589K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
20 +0.00 00:02 5014K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
21 +0.00 00:02 6850K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
22 +0.00 00:02 9441K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
23 +0.00 00:03 12902K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
24 +0.00 00:03 19014K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
25 +0.00 00:04 26618K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
26 +0.00 00:06 41999K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
27 +0.00 00:08 62160K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
28 +0.00 00:12 94610K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
29 +0.00 00:18 141270K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
30 +0.00 00:29 245846K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
31 +0.00 00:39 337917K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
32 +0.00 00:54 465801K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
33 +0.00 01:22 717373K e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
34 +0.00 02:12 1186M e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
35 +0.00 04:01 2221M e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
36 +0.00 07:29 4200M e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
37 +0.00 09:38 5464M e2 Qd4 Ra2 Qxd6 Qe3+ Kh2 Qf4+ Rg3 Qf2+ Rg2 Qf4+
Nodes: 5464887809
Nodes/second: 9440091
Best move: e2
Ponder move: Qd4
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
shiv wrote:I showed this position to a few players in the tournament. Most people were able to see it instantly without issue.Robert Flesher wrote:muxecoid wrote:Qe5+ is difficult to spot over the board, the discovered attack on unprotected rook on a2 is far from obvious.
I disagree, I saw this almost instantly, as I suspect most players will. The line is forced, you recapture losing material or the king gets mated. What could be easier?
Time pressure makes it a bit harder. The fact that a strong player like Meier allows it in a classical time control game means it not 100% trivial. Incidentally, Meier told me that he saw Qe5+ immediately after he played Ra2. I would still say the problem is simple but not drop dead trivial.
Personally, I feel strange that a strong GM would play a move that loses the house. I think that if the position is sufficiently crazy, all players should be on the lookout for tactical errors. This position qualifies as crazy at least to my "naive" eyes.
To build on the comments, it can be harder to find this in time pressure but one should always be on the lookup for checks and captures especially in time pressure.
If you look at ever position with a set of basic principals then this should have been easy to spot. However, we are all human and we don't always follow the basic rules. You must look at all capturing possibilities. But more importantly, in all positions the players MUST look for all checks, and also give special note to pieces that are unprotected. If you move a piece to a undefended square you must be aware if there are checks. This position has all of those above mentioned criteria, therefore, alarms bells should have been ringing. But, as you said, time, pressure, the human element, gross blunders will be made.
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Re: Crazy Position vs GM Georg Meier
Good to reinforce "basic" principles. For example, during the game, it never occurred to me that the rook on a2 is an undefended or loose piece. Even though I recall Nunn writing something along the lines of loose pieces will drop. Checks, captures, and loose pieces should all form one's basic thought process. I did not entirely succeed in this game but feel that the comments here will help me do better next time even if there are challenges like time pressure. Thanks!Robert Flesher wrote:shiv wrote:I showed this position to a few players in the tournament. Most people were able to see it instantly without issue.Robert Flesher wrote:muxecoid wrote:Qe5+ is difficult to spot over the board, the discovered attack on unprotected rook on a2 is far from obvious.
I disagree, I saw this almost instantly, as I suspect most players will. The line is forced, you recapture losing material or the king gets mated. What could be easier?
Time pressure makes it a bit harder. The fact that a strong player like Meier allows it in a classical time control game means it not 100% trivial. Incidentally, Meier told me that he saw Qe5+ immediately after he played Ra2. I would still say the problem is simple but not drop dead trivial.
Personally, I feel strange that a strong GM would play a move that loses the house. I think that if the position is sufficiently crazy, all players should be on the lookout for tactical errors. This position qualifies as crazy at least to my "naive" eyes.
To build on the comments, it can be harder to find this in time pressure but one should always be on the lookup for checks and captures especially in time pressure.
If you look at ever position with a set of basic principals then this should have been easy to spot. However, we are all human and we don't always follow the basic rules. You must look at all capturing possibilities. But more importantly, in all positions the players MUST look for all checks, and also give special note to pieces that are unprotected. If you move a piece to a undefended square you must be aware if there are checks. This position has all of those above mentioned criteria, therefore, alarms bells should have been ringing. But, as you said, time, pressure, the human element, gross blunders will be made.