CHESS AND NIGHTMARE or WHAT A COMPUTER REVEALS

Albert FRANK

It is not rare that the computers reveal, in the analysis, an idea to which practically no player would have thought. The example presented here has been played in September 2001. The respective ELO of the whites and blacks are 2520 and 2120.

White (to play) : Kb1, Qh5, Rd1, Rh2, Ng6, a2, b3, e4, h4

Black : Kg7, Qf6, Rf7, Bd7, Ng8, a7, b5, d3, d4, d6, h6

Whites played Rg1, and blacks resigned : They have the exchange less, their passed pawns d3 and d4 are not sustained, the white position SEEMS not to present any serious weakness, and the black king is in a difficult position.

What " thinks " FRITZ 6 ? It gives instantaneously a decisive advantage for blacks ! Indeed, the white queen is lost !  :

1.Qf1 +!! 2. Rxf1 Rxf1 + 3. Kb2 Nf6! and blacks win.

This continuation, of course, don't present any complicated calculation and will be found by any good chess program . But a human being, in the context of the position, won't think at it.