Monday’s tactics!
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
gm SHORT
gm MURSHED
From Sunday’s round of the World Cities team championship in the UAE. Position after 28 moves.
White has been outplayed for most of the game and reduced to playing for ‘tricks’. Suddenly an opportunity seems to have arisen, namely 29.Bxf6!? and if then Black continues with the intended 29…Ng4 then White can win with 30.Rxg7+ Kf8 31.Be7+! and mate next move!
Unable to control his impulses, grandmaster Murshed played 29.Bxf6 and Short played the calm 29…gxf6.
White was about to play the seemingly crushing 30.Qxf6 when all of a sudden he stopped dead: he resigned!!
WHAT HAD MURSHED OVERLOOKED?
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2.
KAWUMA
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2.
KAWUMA
gm FRESSINET
Also from the UAE. Yesteray’s round. Black had just played the confident 16…Rac8, completing his development. He knew that he stood no worse if White now plays the forcing 17.Bxe7?! RxB 18.RxR QxR 19.QxN Bxb2, with a complex game.
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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3.
gm RISTIC
gm SPASSOV,L
From Metz, 1990. White has gambled several pawns in order to eliminate the Black Bishop, hoping to profit from its absence. If now 23.Bf6–with the threat of 24.Qh6, mating–then Black can hold with 23…Qc5! and then …Qf8.
So White proceeded cleverly:
23.Be7!
Stopping Qc5 and threatening Qh6 and only then Bf6, mating. If Black answers now 23…Kg7, then 24.Qg5! is hard to meet.
THERE FOLLOWED:
23…Re8 24.Qh6!
Threatening Bf6.
24…Nd5!?
The move that Black had been hoping for. If now 25.PxN RxB holds
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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4.
BLOW OUT!
im KVON
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4.
BLOW OUT!
im KVON
gm BELIAVSKY
Also from yesterday’s round in the UAE. Position after 10 moves. Black has lured into a trap! He thinks he is in control, but will soon end up extending his hand in resignation!