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September 9, 2010

Like a bedraggled public defender with too much to cover

Eric Morrow Chess Corner

An important tactical theme in chess is the overworked defender. This is a piece that is defending too many squares or pieces at the same time. With this hint in mind please try to find white’s best move.

Black’s pawn is defending both its knight and bishop. White proves that this pawn is overworked by taking the knight with its bishop.   

If the pawn takes white’s bishop, white’s rook captures black’s bishop and white soon captures black’s pawn. White then wins easily in a rook and king endgame.   

Black’s best reply to the capture of the knight is to move its king to e4 rather than take white’s bishop. Holding onto the pawn gives black drawing chances. White retreats its bishop to safety but keeps it on the a7-g1 diagonal. Moving the bishop to b6 is best. Black’s king advances to f3 etc.   

From here, white should win but black has drawing chances.    White must win black’s pawn and then at least force a trade of bishops.     

The lesson here is that a piece that is defending multiple pieces at the same time, like a bedraggled, overworked public defender, is often stretched to the point that it is defending nobody.

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