Ch 3, Exchanges Involving Pieces of Different Value

.
This page contains four exercises found in Chapter 3, Exchanges Involving Pieces of Different Value, which contains exercises that feature a series of exchanges in which the value of White's pieces is different than the value of Black's pieces. The actual chapter in the book contains twenty-eight exercises similar to these.



50. Black is up a pawn. The count on e8 is 3-2, but White is leading with his Queen. Can White take on e8? Visualize the position after the moves 28 Qxe8+ Rxe8 29 Rxe8+ Qxe8 30 Rxe8+. What is the material balance?



59. The count on f6 is 3-3, but two of Black’s defenders are his Queen and King. Visualize the position after the moves 29 Rxf6 Nxf6 30 Bxf6+¹ Qxf6² 31 Rxf6 Kxf6. What is the material balance?

¹ 30 Rxf6 is also good. ² 30…Kh7 can be met by 31 Qg5, when White’s main threaten is 32 Qh4+ and 33 Qxh8, mate.

61. The count on e8 is 3-3, but two of Black’s defenders are his Queen and King. Visualize the position after the moves 18 Rxe8+ Rxe8 19 Rxe8+ Qxe8 20 Nxe8 Kxe8¹. What is the material balance?

¹ Black resigned here.



63. The count on f7 is 3-4, but one of Black’s first defenders is his Queen. Visualize the position after the moves 27 Rxf7¹ Rxf7 28 Rxf7 Qxf7 29 Nxf7 Rxf7. What is the material balance?

¹ This threatens 28 Qg7, mate.

--------------------------------------------------------

Sources:
50. Shirov-Agdestein, Bergen-Radisson SAS Match (Rapid), Bergen, Norway, 2001.
59. Casadei-Ho, Koltanowski Memorial, San Francisco, 2000.
61. Hedenstroem-Naeckholm, Skelleftea, Sweden, 1999.
63. Soares-Borges, Paulisto Championship, Americana, Brazil, 2000.

.