Tactics Analysis #4

Current Puzzle rating: 2308 (+27)
Current puzzles completed: 1100 (+100)

Position #1

https://lichess.org/training/mLQjv

I struggled to understand this puzzle, but I think the idea is to protect the a-pawn without giving anything else away. Thus Bc1 doesn't work as the pawn is taken immediately. I couldn't choose between Rc1 and Ke2, because Rc1's flaw is subtle (1. Rc1 Rxc1+ 2. Kxc1 Bxd2+ 3. Kxd2 Nc4+!) and I would not be able to calculate that far out.

SOLUTION

1. Ke2 Ra4 (to protect the bishop) 2. Rf4 (to double up on the bishop)

Position #2

https://lichess.org/training/1cUA1

When I originally tried to solve this, I was looking at the queen attacking the Black rooks and I went for 1. Qe6 (expecting Rf7 2. Qxc8+) and completely overlooked the Black queen's ability to defend, which is just poor calculation.

Looking at it now, I can see it as an easy M2 puzzle.

SOLUTION

1. Rh8+ Kf7 2. Qd7#

Position #3

https://lichess.org/training/YOIN2

Nothing jumps out at me from memory here, so I will just try to solve normally.

This looks like a normal middlegame position, so I will look at normal tactical ideas. I don't see any checks and the only unguarded piece is the rook on a1, which I don't really see a god way to attack. Immediate captures are only 2 - Qxc6 looks immediately bad, so maybe Bxe5?

If 2. Rxe5 I have Qxc6, winning a piece. But if 2.Nxe5 I don't see any follow-up.

The only other idea I have is to try to attack the queen. Bh5 just gets blocked by a pawn, so I will dismiss that. Rd8 to threaten a discovered attack maybe? If 2. Nxd8, Bxe5 and I threaten to win back a rook; if it moves I thought I would win the knight but I don't because the knight will be protected by the queen.

In conclusion, I have no idea.

SOLUTION

1. ... Be4 (I didn't even look at this - the bishop adds an attacker to the c6 knight, which feels like at obvious weakness as it's only defended once and has nowhere to move to). 2. Rxe4 Nxe4

Position #4

https://lichess.org/training/y8FyO

The idea here is to attack the bishop on f8, which is defended by the king alone and can't move without giving us access to the area behind the king. After we double up on it with Qa8, we can check how Black can defend it, but the options are thin. Rd8, Rb8 Qb4 and Qc5 all get captured immediately. Black also has no checks for us to consider, so this looks like the right idea.

SOLUTION

1. Qa8 Qd5 2. Rxf8 Qxa8 3. Rxa8