Tactics
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
After some thought, Lagunes picked up his Queen and captured the g-pawn: 18…Qxg4 , to which White immediately played 19.Rf6!, as planned.
Winning in all variations! White can not take the Knight with the pawn because the Queen is enprise; taking with the Knight allows …Qh4ch and QxR; and anything other allows Black to exchange Queens on f3 and enter an easily won ending an exchange up (the e7-pawn is indefensible in the long run).
Once White recovered from the shock, he played on a few more moves but could not avoid losing.
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
The following position occurred at the recently held Creon Open in France between 2 French masters. White was feeling very pleased with himself after having played the ‘brilliant’ 18.g4, which seems to win. If Black takes the g-pawn (or moves to some equivalent square) then White has the very powerful looking 19. Rf6! , after which the f7-pawn lacks a good defence.
So what can Black really do? The clever 18…Na5? fails to 19.Qa4! No doubt Le Hetet thought it entirely reasonable that his opponent would resign!
J.R. Lagunes
Le Hetet
After some thought, Lagunes picked up his Queen and captured the g-pawn: 18…Qxg4 , to which White immediately played 19.Rf6!, as planned.
Can you guess what Black now played?
19…Ne5!!! Brilliant!
Winning in all variations! White can not take the Knight with the pawn because the Queen is enprise; taking with the Knight allows …Qh4ch and QxR; and anything other allows Black to exchange Queens on f3 and enter an easily won ending an exchange up (the e7-pawn is indefensible in the long run).
Once White recovered from the shock, he played on a few more moves but could not avoid losing.
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS