Comments/Ratings for a Single Item
Great analysis and a fantastic answer to my question. Cetran Chess 3 is a fun game with a lot of strong pieces, and the 12x8 format really makes a challenge, balancing between developing the pieces and protecting the King. It's 'game on' right from the start!
I was asking Carlos, if he had enough compensation from his Queen sacrifice, if Black played 25. ... K l8xl7 26. P k4-k5 (check), K l7-l6 (Alternative 5 in the analysis). However in my inexperience with the Sissa, in my own simple analysis I had moved 27. S j4-k4 (check). The right move here was of course 27. S j4-i3 ! That activates the long-ranging abilities of this interesting piece, which now has control (if unblocked) of the square l7. This forces Black into the last variations in Carlos' analysis, and Black's position is terrible.
Maybe if you could be so smart as to find Carlos' variation where Black is giving the Griffin up for the white Queen (last illustration) there possibly would be something to continue with, but with the 'heavy artillery' (Amazon and Griffin) being involved in the next couple of moves and Black's extremely weak king-position, I now totally understand and sympathize with Black resigning the game here!
2 comments displayed
Permalink to the exact comments currently displayed.
Analysis of the final position of the Cetran Chess 3 game played by Carlos Cetina (White) vs Daniel Zacharias (Black) made to answer a question raised by Thor Slavensky.
Black to move. 25th turn. Black's King is double-checked. White's Sissa checks via j4-j6-l8. Then 25. ... Kxl7 is forced. After 26.k6+ arises the following position.
Black has 5 alternatives:
1) 26. ... Kk7 27.l6#
2) 26. ... jxk6 27.lxk6+ Kk7 27.DKl7#
3) 26. ... Sxk6 27.lxk6+ Kk7 28.DKl7+ Kj8 29.DKxj7#
4) 26. ... GRYxk6 27.lxk6+ Kk7 28.DKl7#
5) 26. ... Kl6 27.Sl3+ giving check via l3-i3-l6
Now Black has 2 alternatives: (A) 27. ... Kk7 and (B) 27. ... GRYj4 [obstructing the checking path].
If (A) 27. ... Kk7, then 28.l6+
Now Black has 2 possible moves: (A1) 28. ... Kxk6 and (A2) 28. ... Kl8.
Let's see A1 in detail move by move. 28. ... Kxk6 29.DKk1+
The White's Sissa from l3 controls l7 (via l3-h3-l7), l6 (via l3-i3-l6) and l5 (via l3-j3-l5). Then 29. ... Kj5 [forced] 30.Sk5+
Now the Sissa from k5 controls i6 (k5-j6-i6), i5 (k5-i3-i5 or k5-k3-i5 or k5-k7-i5) and k6 (k5-l5-k6 or k5-j6-k6). Then 30. ... Kj4 [forced] 31.DKk4#
Sissa and Dragon King defend each other.
Now let's see the A2 alternative 28. ... Kl8 29.k7+
29. ... AANxk7 [forced because the White's Sissa controls l7 via l3-h3-l7] 30.lxk7+ Kxk7
At this point it is not clear whether or not White has any decisive advantage. To continue attacking it needs to move its Gryphon to g2 so that the Amazon can join the fight and the Aanca from c1 can also do it later. Maybe Black could rearrange his defense starting with Gryphon k6.
Returning to the position after 26. ... Kl6 27.Sl3+
The B alternative, 27. ... GRYj4, could be replied with 28.Sxj4 and if 28. ... AANxi5 then 29.DKk1.
Again, it is not clear that White has any decisive advantage. However I think White has enough compensation for the Queen. The fight continues and "the coin is in the air".