Thoughts on exercise one from "The Good Move Guide"
In my last post I wrote about how the key to overcoming the overwhelm of too many study options was just to start.
And I am glad to report that I have finally started! Procrastination did put up a little resistance, but was overcome: the first exercise has now been successfully completed.
Exercise One from Bent Larsen's "Find the Plan"
Black to move
In fairness, this wasn't difficult to solve. Perhaps it was meant as a warm up. Also, I do vaguely remember seeing it before, even if that was thirty plus years ago. This is no bad thing. Beginning with a straightforward problem allowed me to focus on the methodology. The fact that it was a pawn endgame also helped. This reduced it to a number of clear cut calculations.
I am not going to give you the solution...you can always buy the book! But if you are curious or want your solution confirmed, pop it in the comments section.
A few points on how I will approach each problem:
- A minimum of fifteen minutes spent analysing
- The position will be set up on a physical board, but no pieces moved.
- All ideas written down in my training diary.
- I will answer Larsen's key questions:
(a) Who stands better at first glance?
(b) What is the correct plan?
(c) What is the first move?
(d) Reevaluate who stands better on the basis of your analysis.
(e) Who has the advantage and is it decisive?
I think building a habit of writing solutions and analysis will be fundamental to long term improvement.
So a positive start; one down, forty seven to go.
