GIPF: Puzlle #16
White is in turn - and in big trouble.
Sometimes, after having captured a few of the opponent’s pieces, it happens that you loose your position completely: plenty of pieces in reserve, hardly anything on the board.
Black clearly took advantage of that. He has only 2 pieces left to play with but he’s sure to capture with his next move and, more over, he threatens both of White’s GIPF-pieces.
White must find a way to prevent Black from taking the GIPF-pieces on e7 and g4 with his two next moves. Is there an escape?
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Correct answers:
- d7
- i3-g3
By playing d7, White cannot prevent the loss of one of the GIPF pieces, but they do manage to save a second one. If Black responds with c7-c5;xGg4, White can push the GIPF piece out of the c7-f6 line of attack, losing only one piece during Black’s subsequent attack, h1-d4;x. Alternatively, if Black captures via h1-d4;xGe7, White can break up the attacking line d8-d3.
Option 1
The move i3-g3 is a second option, but a more costly one. In case Black would play c7-c5;xGg4, White can force him to remove pieces on the c1-i3 line through f1-d2. But Black will most likely choose for the other option, i.e. h1-d4;xGe7, because that obliges White to play g1-g5 to push the GIPF on g4 out of danger. Apart from two pieces, that also costs him a move.
Option 2
The puzzle is taken from www.gipf.com. The original puzzle is here.