Sunday tactics!
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
gm SUBA
Frick
From the recently completed World Senior Championship. Position after White’s 33rd move (33.Qf7). The position is complex and very interesting. Both sides have problems…we can rightfully say ”both sides stand badly” here, and often in this type of situation having the move is all you need to score the whole point!
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN BY FORCE!
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SOLUTION:
33…Ng5!! (threatening the Queen and the deadly…Nf3-ch) 34.PxN Bxb4!!
The Black Queen is so well placed on e4! Black threatens …Rh8 (mating) as well as the Rook on d2. If now 35.g6 then simply 35…BxR 36.g7 QxN 37.g8-Q QxB-ch etc wins without any doubt.
White has no defence. This is a good reason to resign and save honour! But White continued with the lame 35.Ng1 (planning to block the check on h8 with his Knight.) He is now in for a rude surprise:
35…Rh8-ch 36. Nh3 RxN-ch! and mate next move!
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NOW TRY THIS ONE:
2.
Andrenko, Irina
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NOW TRY THIS ONE:
2.
Andrenko, Irina
Martinez,Lelys
From Mexico just 2 days ago! White sacrificed a pawn to build his Kingside initiative. White can now consider 23.g6 or 23.Be4 followed by Kg2 and moving the Rook to the h-file. BUT White has better! Much better…
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN BY FORCE!
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3.
Never lose your concentration!
(Part I)
POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 31st MOVE:
gm GEORGIEV,Ki
gm CVITAN
From the Kostic Memorial taking place as I write. The game has not been going well for White. Little by little the experienced Bulgarian star has been outplaying White. Cvitan decided to risk going down in flames by sacrificing a piece for remote (very remote!) swindling chances. If Black finds all the right moves, he wins; if not…
Black can establish a winning position with the precise 31… c4!: after 32. Qb1 Kg8 33. Rce2 Rg7 34. Qf5 Rf8 it is just a question of technique for a grandmaster of Georgiev’s calibre.
HOWEVER, Georgiev let slip his sense of danger for just one move :
31…PxP??
Looks natural, but overlooks White’s ONLY threat!
32.Qd3!
The threat of the check on g6 completely turns the tables on Black, who now finds himself completely helpless! The Black Queen is out of play and unable to come to the King’s aid in sufficient time.
Black can not take the Rook: 32… Rxc2? 33. Qg6 Kf8 34. Qxh6 Kg8 35. Qg6 Kf8 36. Qxf6 Kg8 37. Rg5 Kh7 38. Qg7#
THE GAME CONTINUED:
32…Kg8 33. Rxc7 Rxc7 34. Qg6 Rg7 35. Qxf6 Qf8 36. Qe6 Kh7
And now the fastest way to force Black resignation is 37.Qc6! PxP 38.Qe4-ch etc.
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4.
Urbanc
Barboza
From the World Senior Championship. Position after White’s 30th move. Ofcourse Black is better!
WHAT IS BLACK’S FASTEST WAY TO WIN?
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5.
Never lose your concentration!
(Part II)
POSITION AFTER 31 MOVES:
im Capo Vidal (elo 2319)
gm Hansen,E
From Mexico just a couple of days ago…Here the Canadian star is a clean piece up but must exercise some caution because of Black’s pawn on c2. One must always be wary of the opponent’s pawns on the 7th rank! For instance, 32.Ne3? runs into 32…Rb1!
Here the most precise path is 32. Kg2! (getting the King off of the 1st rank so that there will be no checks should the pawn promote) 32… Rb1 what else? and now 33. Rdd1! Rb2 34. Rd2 followed by picking up the c-pawn in the next couple of moves.
HOWEVER, Eric played sloppily here–probably impatient– underestimating his opponent:
32. Nh2?
Now the advantage changes hands!
32… Rb1! 33. Qa3 (33.Qe3 would be answered the same) 33…Qc5!
OUCH!! In 2 short moves White is lost. He must lose material
Eric here chose a ceremonious continuation, but nothing is better in the long run.
34. Qa8 Kf7 35. Qxh8 Rxc1 36. Kg2 QxR
And Black won easily. There is no perpetual check as the Black King can escape to c7. Eric resigned a couple of moves later…
MORAL OF THE STORY:
It is always possible to lose a winning position!
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6.
6.
Baeta
Lujic
From the World Senior Championship. Position after White’s 22nd move. The opening has been a complete disaster for White, who finds himself —despite 2 pawns to the good–without any development!
HOW DID BLACK END THE GAME IN JUST 2 MOVES?
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7.
POSITION AFTER 34 MOVES:
Rakhimberdiyev
im Piasetski
From the World Senior in Greece. Montreal native Leon Piasetski had a great tournament and came very close to scoring his first GM-norm! Not bad for someone who just turned 61 (!)
The position is very messy, so typical of Leon’s style of playing. Black is winning on the Queenside but White has dangerous threats on the Kingside that compensate. According to computer analysis, the game should end in a draw.
Leon played the very best move
35.Be6!!
Black can not take this piece because of 36.Bxe5-ch followed by taking the Rook on f8.
Now the best defence for Black is 35… Raa8! (protecting his Rook on f8) when 36. Bxe5 Qxe5 37. Qxf7! should end in a pretty draw by repetition: 37…Rxf7 38. Rxf7 Kg8! (38… Kh8? will lose: 39. Rh1 Kg8 40. Rfh7 Kf8 41. Rh8) 39. Rf6 Kg7 40. Rf7 Kg8= If White tries for more, then he will lose.
HOWEVER, Black thought he saw a stronger defence:
35…Bxf4?! 36. Qxf4 Qe5
Black figures that his strong Queen position dominates White. He is mistaken…
Now the simplest way of winning is to invade along the h-file: 37. Qh4! Kg8 38. Rf6! and Black is defenceless. HOWEVER, Leon’s winning method is more spectacular:
37. Qxf7!? Rxf7 38. Rxf7 Kg8 39. Rxb7
Now the White Rook on b1 will come into play. Black is helpless!
THE GAME QUICKLY ENDED:
39…Kf8 40. Rf1 Ke8 41. Rb8 [1:0]
A surprising finish, very well played by Leon!
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8.
ORTIZ SUAREZ
GUERRA MOJENA
From Mexico just a few days ago. Black had just played the natural looking 17…Qc4, hitting the a-pawn. This is infact the losing move!
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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9.
ALVAREZ PEDRAZA
CAPO VIDAL
Also from Mexico. Both sides have developed their pieces, but Black’s are more actively poised. Especially, the pawn on d4 is a target, the White Queen being tied down to its defence.
CAN BLACK GET AWAY WITH THE TACTICAL 13…Nxd4?
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