Unlock Your Genius January 2010 (Problems)

by tapestry , Hampshire, Sunday, January 17, 2010, 12:33 (5568 days ago) @ tapestry

My immediate reaction is that black is better.
White’s Strengths:
I’m not sure!

White’s Weaknesses:
Isolated h pawn and doubled/isolated f pawns. Inactive position of the king.

Black’s Strengths:
More active rook and king.

Black’s Weaknesses:
Isolated d pawn.

White doesn’t have many moves available. White’s king is needed to defend the h pawn, so cannot stray too far towards the queenside. Moving the queenside pawns would create a target for black to attack. White’s rook is needed to defend the c2 pawn.

Black’s king’s mobility is reduced by the need to defend the d pawn. As black I would be aiming to provoke a weakness on the queenside to try and tie white’s pieces down further. Then I would aim to use the black king to attack further and give up the d pawn if necessary.

I would aim to push the queenside pawns to a5 and b5, provoke the a pawn to move with …Ra4, and if white does play a2-a3, return the rook to c4 and play …b5-b4.

For example if white plays passively, 1…b5 2. Re2 a5 3. Rd2 Rh4 (forcing the white king away from the queenside) 4. Kg2 Ra4 5. a3 Rc4 6. Re2 b4 7. axb4 Rxb4 8. c3 Rb7 and aim to move the black king to attack the queenside pawns.

If white moves the queenside pawns black gains a target, for example, 1…b5 2. c3 (2. b3 gives black the opportunity to invade with 2…Rc3 followed by moving the king forward) a5 3. Rd3 (to protect c3 and aiming to play b3) b4.

I think if white tries to activate the rook a similar position arises, 1…b5 2. Re2 a5 3. c3 b4 and black can aim to play …Ra4 to induce a weakness on the queenside to exploit.