Black refutations in try play

Narayanan's Problem corner

Black refutations in try play

Tries are called ‘almosts’ as they nearly solve a problem but for a single black move which is known as ‘refutation’ to the try. The try play can be varied with many white piece acting towards a common objective, tries with a common aim, defeated in varied ways by black men. There can be tries by a single white piece which commit a common error exploited by black. In both the cases the stress is more on white tries than on their refutations. In this article I would like to present some try play problems where the black refutations are given the importance. There is certain uniformity or sense of purpose in black play which cannot be missed. The problem by K.R.Chandrasekaran is a strategic try play two-mover where the interest lies both in white as well as black play.

K.R.Chandrasekaran
(after A.N.Pankratiev)

The removal of WBf5 threatens 2. Bf6 using the pin of the black knight at d5. Where can the bishop go?
1.Bg6? is defeated by 1…Bb5 ! prospectively unpinning the BNd5 to prevent the threat, and now 2.Qg6 cannot be played.
Similarly 1. Bxe6? Is refuted by 1…R(6)b5 !! (unpins the BNd5) 2.Nxe6?. 1.Bxe4? fails to 1…R(4)b5 !! because 2.Nxe4 cannot be played due to white obstruction. Lastly 1.Bg4? (2.Bf6) is defeated by 1…Nf5 !! Can white play 2.Rg4? The white bishop is in the way. In all the four tries black refutations unpin black knight to defeat the threat. The tries where the white bishop comes in the way of his own men which are ‘ obstruction tries.’

Key move: 1Nh3!!
1…Bb5/ R(6)b5/R(4)b5/ Nf5
2. Qg6/ Nxe6/ Nxe4/ Rg4

The second example alongside gives an artistic tilt to the virtual play. Ordinarily every try is defeated differently. In other words if the same black move defeats many tries it is considered a serious weakness. In the problem by Yugoslav master a single black moves refutes as many as eight tries! And for different reasons at that.

V.Bartolovic
White: Kg8, Qf7, Rb4, Ba3, Na7, Nf3, Pc2, Pd2, Pg2, Pg3, Pg7 (11) Black: Ke4, Bc4, Pc7, Pd7, Pd5, Pg5, Ph7 (7)

Let us look at the tries which set up different threat each time.
1. Bb2? Threatens 2.Nxg5 and black refutes 1…d4! ( by closing the white line to e5)
1.Kxh7? Threatens 2.Qg6 and the same 1…d4! refutes for a different reason- unblocks d5!
1.Bc1? (2.d3) 1…d4! ( black unpins his black bishop!)
1.g4? (Qf5) 1…d4! (pins the white queen!)
1.Nb5? (2.Nc3) 1…d4! (direct guard of c3)
1.Qf6? (Qe5/Nxg5) 1…d4! (check to the WK)
1.Rb8? (2.Re8) 1…d4! ( opening of black line) and finally
1.Nc8? (waiting) 1…d4! (black just moves!!)
The key is 1.Nc6!! threatening 2. Nxg5.
Eight different intentions for a single black refutation.
A remarkable conception!

Try problems for solving:
Touw Hian Bwee Suomen Sakki ,Jan 1973	C.G.S.Narayanan 5th Place, 2-WCCT 1980
		Solutions to try problems in ‘Tries with common error’: M.Lipton 1. Re6!! Van Gool 1.Qf1
Mate in Two moves	Mate in Two moves

- C G S Narayanan

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Glossary

Symbol	Meaning
+	Check
#	Checkmate
x	Capture
!	Good Move
!!	Excellent Move
?	Bad move
??	Blunder
!?	Interesting Move
?!	Dubious Move
1-0	White Wins
0-1	Black Wins
1/2	Draw
Twoer	Mate in Two Moves

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About the author

C G S Narayanan C.G.S.Narayanan, an international composer of repute, has been composing Chess problems for the past thirty years. He has won several awards for his compositions in International composing tourneys and he has an output of over 300 problems to his credit. He is the second Indian to win the prestigious Brian Harley Award for the best two-mover composed by a subject of British Commonwealth twice in 1977 and 1991. He has been editing THE HINDU Chess problem column from 1982 onwards, after S.K.Narasimhan. He has captained the Indian team in the World Chess Compositions Tournaments held by FIDE.

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