Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

[Stuart Brammall]

Number 3 was pretty tough... it took me about an hour and a half to get both parts.

Does anyone else waste their holiday time with these?

[Geordie Derraugh]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

I consider it time well wasted, Stuart. Number 3 was my favourite so far. I always find the direct mates to be the hardest, strangely enough. I had a lot of trouble with number 4 as well, but got it eventually. I'm struggling with 6 at the moment. 15 moves is just too far ahead for me to see :(

[Ed Zator]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

Does anyone else waste their holiday time with these?

Not so much this year. Besides being too hard for average chessplayers, I don't find helpmates,
selfmates, etc. interesting or practical.

The Corus tournament also has an online puzzle competition for cash, but I don't know if the new
sponsor will this year.

[Ed Zator]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

I'm struggling with 6 at the moment. 15 moves is just too far ahead for me to see :(

Keep the Black King on 3 squares, and lure the Black Queen to where it
can't interfere with a check from c1?

[Tyler Longo]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

Surprisingly I had little trouble with 1-4 this year (got them all in a few min), but 5 and 6 are both giving me trouble so far. I'll probably spend some time trying them tomorrow.

[Stuart Brammall]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

I find the proof games / retro-analysis puzzles particulary compeling... Does anyone know of any sort of archive of these puzzles?? I generally only get one per year from chessbase :( . I can't imagine how such puzzles are composed... seems like it would be quite difficult compared to other puzzle types.

[Tyler Longo]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

I find the proof games / retro-analysis puzzles particulary compeling... Does anyone know of any sort of archive of these puzzles?? I generally only get one per year from chessbase :( . I can't imagine how such puzzles are composed... seems like it would be quite difficult compared to other puzzle types.

Yea I've wondered this too... I'm probably going to email chessbase when I submit solutions for this, and see if either Mr. Nunn or chessbase can help.

[Stephen Wright]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

Try http://www.janko.at/Retros/index.htm

[Brian Stewart]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

I was able to find the answers for 1-5, but the rest are way too hard for me. I guess they only want professional puzzle solvers to be able to win.

[Lynn Stringer]

Re: Chessbase Christmas Puzzles

I have an interesting one for tatics, ches.com tatics but probably too easy for you but it is rated which I find interesting.