One last problem from Junior High League Chess Matches

This was a battle between Frank Sullivan from Friendly Hills playing White against Elise Lothrop from Farnsworth at board 2 in round 3. Elise has just played h5, demonstrating that she understands the concept of undermining. Is there anything Frank can do to stay in the game?
(In the actual game, Frank played Rf1 which is what any reasonable player would play - save the rook and give up the knight. But as I often say, "When you're in trouble, don't panic, think! There is usually a way out.



Answer: After considering a number of wild and daring captures, none of which worked, I considered saving the knight instead and imagined what Black's pieces would look like if he took the Rook. Wait! His King and Rook would be forkable! If I could just get my knight to d5. I can! The game (in my mind) continued 1. Ne3 Kxf6 2. Nd5+ Kg7 3. Nxe7 c3 (trapping the knight) 4.Rxe5 Re8 5.Nxc6 (or Nd5) bxc6 6.Ra5 Ra8 So I'm still down the knight but I did get two pawns for it, I've got an active Rook, she's got a passive one. And with four connected pawns vs two isolated ones on the queen's side, I should be able to get a passed pawn of my own. I'd still rather be Black, but at least the game isn't a slam dunk.

Some Interesting Positions From Feb 1

#1 Here Seth from Farnsworth, playing white, missed a good move against Anton from Friendly Hills. Friendly Hills went on to win this math 3-2, so this game decided the match. Anton checkmated Seth 4 moves later.



#2. In this next position, Eric from Nellie Stone Johnson playing black comes up with a way to save his minor pieces.



#3. In the same game  a few moves later, Eric was faced with the following position. He chose Re7 with the intent of doubling up his rooks - normally a good idea. But there's a better move here for Black.



#4. In the board 1 game between the two top teams, Thomas from Friendly Hills had just move his bishop to d5 holding back the knight and attacking the a-pawn. How should Chinu protect the a-pawn?



#5. Here, Elise from Farnsworth playing black on Board 2,  has sewn up her 6th straight win. But what is the best plan to win?



#6. Josh Philips has the chance to get the upper hand against Bobby Fraser. Bobby has just castled long. What should White play?



#7. Same game a few moves later. What should White do?



Answers

#1. Seth missed Bb6#

#2. Eric found Ne5! Anton can't take the Bishop because of Nxf3+ with (not NxQ?) Qxh2# next.
Another solution is Be5 which threatens mate and gives the knight time to escape. After 1. ... Be5 White can't play f4 because of QxQ, but 2. Rd1 seems to allow survival (not Re1 lest Bxh2+ with a discovered attack followed by RxR#) but 2. ... Bxh2+! 3. Kh1 Bg3+! 4. Kg1 Qh2+ 5.Kf1 Qxf2#

#3. 1. ... Rxe4 2. fxe4 Bxf2+ 3. Rxf2 (if Kh1 Qxe4#) Qxf2+ 4. Kh1 Qf1#

#4. Chinu doesn't have to protect it. If Thomas takes it, Chinu simply plays b3, then Kb2 and the bishop i dead. Look up the first game of the Fischer-Spassky match for a similar position where Fischer lost by taking the pawn.

#5. Right now the White King cannot get past the third rank because of the pawns guarding the light squares and the knight guarding the dark squares. So use your other piece to invade. Advance the King to the center, to e5. Then attack the b pawn with the knight (to d8 then c6). Finally when the White King is over towards the b file advance the f-pawn for a trade and queen the g pawn.

#6. 1. Nxf6 gxf6 2. Nxf7 fork! (Alternate solution - 1. Nxf7 fork! 2. Qxf7 Nxb6+! 3. axb6 Bxf7

#7. This is complicated, but I think the best choice is 1. Nxd8 Rxf1+ 2. Rxf1 Nxf1? 3. Be6!!

Division Results After Round 6

Team Standings

The team from Friendly Hills advances to the playoffs on March 1 at Metcalf Jr. High. They are also encouraged to participate in the MSCA State championship to be held at St. Catherine University on March 29-30 where the team will receive its trophy.

FH FA NSJ WT FH FA NSJ WT Matches Games Friendly Hills x 3-2 4-1 5-0 x 3-2 4-1 5-0 6 24 Farnsworth Aerospace 2-3 x 4-1 5-0 2-3 x 2-3 5-0 3 20 Nellie Stone Johnson 1-4 1-4 x 5-0 2-3 3-2 x 5-0 3 14 Washington Tech 0-5 0-5 0-5 x 0-5 0-5 0-5 x 0 0

Individual Standings

Those in Bold have earned an "Outstanding Player Award". Those players are encouraged to participate in the MSCA State championship to be held at St. Catherine University on March 29-30 where they will receive their awards.

School	Name	Score
FH	Thomas Miranda	6-0
FH	Anton Priborkin	6-0
FA	Elise Lothrop	6-0
FH	Magnus Nordby	5-1
FA	Seth Xiong	4-2
FH	Josh Philips	4-2
NSJ	Eric Hall	4-2
NSJ	Michael Hopewell	4-2
FH	Frank Sullivan	3-3
FA	Chinu Thao	3-3
NSJ	Freddy Alonso	3-3
NSJ	Eli Barban	3-3
FA	Pahlee Thao	3-2
FA	Bobby Fraser	3-0
NSJ	Angel Alonso	2-4
FA	Simon Thao	1-2
WT	Cowboy Dway	0-3
WT	Shuepheng Lee	0-3
WT	Mula Lay	0-3
WT	Pov Thao	0-3

Round by Round Results

Round 1	Friendly Hills			Farnsworth Aerospace
	Thomas Miranda	1	0	Chinu Thao
	Frank Sullivan	0	1	Elise Lothrop
	Anton Priborkin	1	0	Simon Thao
	Josh Philips	0	1	Seth Xiong
	Magnus Nordby	1	0	Pahlee Thao
	Washington Tech			Nellie Stone Johnson
	Cowboy Dway	0	1	Freddy Alonso
	Shuepheng Lee	0	1	Eli Barban
	forfeit	0	1	Eric Hall
	Mula Lay	0	1	Angel Alonso
	Pov Thao	0	1	Michael Hopewell
Round 2	Friendly Hills			Washington Tech
	Thomas Miranda	1	0	Cowboy Dway
	Frank Sullivan	1	0	Shuepheng Lee
	Anton Priborkin	1	0	Mula Lay
	Josh Philips	1	0	Pov Thao
	Magnus Nordby	1	0	forfeit
	Farnsworth Aerospace			Nellie Stone Johnson
	Chinu Thao	1	0	Freddy Alonso
	Elise Lothrop	1	0	Eli Barban
	Simon Thao	0	1	Eric Hall
	Seth Xiong	1	0	Angel Alonso
	Pahlee Thao	1	0	Michael Hopewell
Round 3	Nellie Stone Johnson			Friendly Hills
	Freddy Alonso	0	1	Thomas Miranda
	Eli Barban	0	1	Frank Sullivan
	Eric Hall	0	1	Anton Priborkin
	Angel Alonso	0	1	Josh Philips
	Michael Hopewell	1	0	Magnus Nordby
	Washington Tech			Farnsworth Aerospace
	Cowboy Dway	0	1	Chinu Thao
	Shuepheng Lee	0	1	Elise Lothrop
	Mula Lay	0	1	Simon Thao
	Pov Thao	0	1	Seth Xiong
	forfeit	0	1	Pahlee Thao
Round 4	Nellie Stone Johnson			Farnsworth Aerospace
	Freddy Alonso	1	0	Chinu Thao
	Eli Barban	0	1	Elise Lothrop
	Eric Hall	1	0	Seth Xiong
	Angel Alonso	0	1	Bobby Fraser
	Michael Hopewell	1	0	forfeit
	Washington Tech			Friendly Hills
	forfeit	0	1	Thomas Miranda
	forfeit	0	1	Frank Sullivan
	forfeit	0	1	Anton Priborkin
	forfeit	0	1	Josh Philips
	forfeit	0	1	Magnus Nordby
Round 5	Friendly Hills			Nellie Stone Johnson
	Thomas Miranda	1	0	Freddy Alonso
	Frank Sullivan	0	1	Eli Barban
	Anton Priborkin	1	0	Eric Hall
	Josh Philips	1	0	Angel Alonso
	Magnus Nordby	1	0	Michael Hopewell
	Farnsworth Aerospace			Washington Tech
	Chinu Thao	1	0	forfeit
	Elise Lothrop	1	0	forfeit
	Seth Xiong	1	0	forfeit
	Bobby Fraser	1	0	forfeit
	Pahlee Thao	1	0	forfeit
Round 6	Farnsworth Aerospace			Friendly Hills
	Chinu Thao	0	1	Thomas Miranda
	Elise Lothrop	1	0	Frank Sullivan
	Seth Xiong	0	1	Anton Priborkin
	Bobby Fraser	1	0	Josh Philips
	Pahlee Thao	0	1	Magnus Nordby
	Nellie Stone Johnson			Washington Tech
	Freddy Alonso	1	0	forfeit
	Eli Barban	1	0	forfeit
	Eric Hall	1	0	forfeit
	Angel Alonso	1	0	forfeit
	Michael Hopewell	1	0	forfeit