Friday’s 5-second tactics and potpourri
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
SUPERIOR FORCES
gm HASANGATIN
gm RIAZANTSEV
From yesterday’s round at the Russian Team Championship in Loo. Position after 19 moves. White is fully developed and mobilized. Black still has a ways to go…his King must feel uncomfortable on f8 and what is his Rook still doing on a8? These little shortcomings add up to something in chess, especially here since it is White to play!
PLAY CONTINUED:
20.Bxh6! gxh6 21.Nxh6 Qg6 22.Rxd7 Qxh6 23.Re6! Kf7 24.Qf5!
A picturesque position! Black is completely tied up and can not defend against the threat of 25.Ne4. Black played on for a few useless moves before resigning…
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HIDDEN DEFENSIVE RESOURCES
gm TOLUSH
BASTRIKOV,G
From Leningrad, 1938! White had just played 14.f3!. He is about to open the centre like a can of beans, and with his superior development he looks forward with optimism. But chess is more than strategy and having the better game: it is also an uncompromising fight!
Tolush now embarked upon a risky, brilliant and –truth be told–unsound blitz attack:
14… Nxd4!? 15.exd4 Bxd4+ 16.Kh1 Nxg3+ 17.hxg3 Qg5
Black is threatening mate along the h-file! In the game continuation Bastrikov defended very badly with 18.Kh2 (to answer …Qh6+ with 19.Bh3) because after 18…f4! it is forced mate in atmost 4 moves!
IN THE POSTION above White actually has a defence. INFACT, not only a defence, but a WINNING defence! DO YOU SEE IT? Look deeply, because it is hidden in the bowels of the position…