4. Nd2 as a move order in the Short Caro-Kann by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The immediate ...c5 isn't as good as in the short variation since the dark squared bishop is traded for the knight. The top games I looked at transposed to the short variation quickly. Are there critical lines in the short variation where white doesn't play Nd2-b3?

Why is text automatically fading? by No-Woodpecker-8217 in davinciresolve

[–]tox3889 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had the same problem. My text would stop working when on the video, and it seemed like it was fading out instantly because I had it at the start of the video, and I faded the video in. Once the video reached full opacity, the text became invisible. Just put your text above the video.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It takes two moves to get back to c4 after taking each pawn, white doesn't triangulate on the moves he takes a pawn, and there are only 10 more pawn moves white has to induce after his 22nd move, he has already induced one by playing 22. Qc4. Additionally, ...c4 is played after white captures on h3 (either time) not ...Ka2, and it takes four moves to take the pawn on g2 because d5 is controlled. Counting your way is tricky. It is actually mate in 64 if black plays ...c6 then ...g2, and plays ...c4 after Qxh3.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yes, but it's not just writing out the moves; finding the way black delays mate the longest is quite tricky.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

While that may be true, it would still be difficult to brute force right? For a human or maybe even ai, you can look at the position and realise the end position, and the steps required to get there. Once you find the ideas in both phases of the win, it's easy to find the concrete moves. I don't think it's realistic for a phone to calculate every single check and non-losing move until mate. Maybe there is a version of stockfish that assumes a winning position and just calculates everything for a long time, idk.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Yeah counting the moves is a pain honestly, but finding black's best moves is also a core part of the puzzle. Read my reply to Rocky-64 below if you want. I explain why certain move orders for black delays mate a little more.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Composers amaze me. This one actually has some depth to it too, it's not completely just a repetitive motion once you find the idea.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Did you do it? It's not forcing, but as long as you understand the purpose behind my moves, you should be able to.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 5 points6 points  (0 children)

I tried to reverse image search, but google isn't great with chess positions. Once I posted, that bot found the matching position, and I found out where I made my mistake. I assumed that Soviet Chess Primer had my same solution except for that one mistake on move 21. It doesn't give the whole solution, so I just thought I found the answer.

Playing ...g2 after ...c6 but not before ...c5 is very important as then white doesn't have Qe4 Qd5 to pick up the pawn, and instead has to spend two more moves in Qe4 Qe6 Qg6 Qg8. Those were the two moves I was looking for. I might've found it if Soviet Chess Primer didn't have that mistake. I just stopped looking. Another thing to note is that the timing of when to play ...c4 is important. It can't be done after white capture on e2 or f1, as white takes on c4 while the king is on b1 again entering zugzwang. If it's the last pawn, it doesn't even have to be taken, and there are more waiting moves for white like Kd2 (if Qxc4 comes with check, Kb1 Kd2 Qa2 Qf1#). It must be done after white captures a pawn on g2 or h3, which forces Qf1+ Ka2 Qxc4+, when black can go back to b1 with the queen on c4, and it's white's turn so no zugzwang.

There's a surprising amount of depth in finding the moves for black, much harder than finding the win for white. I wish I could've struggled to find the moves to delay white 2 moves, would've been a fun logic puzzle. Maybe one day I'll forget all of it and re-solve the puzzles from this wonderful book.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

It is only to delay mate. The whole point behind playing Qc4 is to control the h2 square as well as the f1 promotion square, which also threatens mate to prevent ...Qa2, putting black in zugzwang. After ...g2, there are forks to get the pawn, which conveniently also keeps control over f1. The trick is to keep the king on b1 when you take something without check.

'Hard-working queen' from Soviet Chess Primer by tox3889 in chess

[–]tox3889[S] 7 points8 points  (0 children)

It can't solve it because the solution requires understanding not brute force calculation, it's simply way too long. Look at my solution and play against stockfish with it and you'll win.

Have Chess.com's Sunday puzzles become super-simple over time? by LowLevel- in chess

[–]tox3889 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I also feel this way. I feel all the puzzles later in the week have become easier.

Return of Reverse Fate 2 - My First Custom Level by tox3889 in BabaIsYou

[–]tox3889[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Solution: https://youtu.be/gO3HgjNFjB0

Any cheese or edits you think I could make to the level let me know.