Today’s winning 5-second tactics

“Opportunity doesn’t make appointments, you have to be ready when it arrives.”― Tim Fargo

——————————

gm  Antipov, Mikhail

 gm  Giri, Anish

Qatar Masters  2014.11.26  Position after 31 moves.  A lot of jockeying for position by both sides …Giri  now has an opportunity to exploit the fact that the Black Rook is undefended.

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

——————————-

BAD LUCK ?

wgm Pogonina,N

wgm  Girya,O

Russia Ch (w) 28-11-2014.  Yesterday’s round!  Position after White’s 32nd move (32.e5)  I am not certain if White had lost or sacrificed a pawn earlier, but her active piece play gives her some compensation — but certainly no more than that. Black should now retreat her Queen to d8. Instead, probably short of time, she played…

32…PxP?

While this move many not yet lose, Black’s game all of a sudden becomes critical.

 

33.Ne8!

Now it is absolutely necessary to seek salvation  by sacrificing here Queen: 33…PxR! 34.NxQ d3! 35.Qf3!? d2 36.Qd1 RxN with reasonable drawing chances.

33…Qb7??

34.RxR! 1-0

There is a nasty check on f6 after 34…QxR.

————————–

———————————-

THE SHOT!

gm  Safarli, E

fm  Seyb,A  (2412)

Qatar Masters  2014.11.28  Position after 27 moves.  It is a tough fight after 28.BxN!.  But not wanting to part with his Bishop pair, White blundered with 

28.Bf5?

No doubt White must have thought he was better here!

BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!

————————–

Qatar Masters  2014.11.26  Giri, Anish–Antipov, Mikhail : 32.Rxe6! fxe6 33.Qxe6+ Kf8 ( 33…Kg7? 34.Qe5+ ) 34.Qxd5  The calm before the storm. Black is defenceless as White’s Bishop prepare to seize key diagonals. 34… Qc7 35.Bc4 Nf6 36.Qg5 Qe7 37.Qf4 1-0  Black loses material without any compensation.

Qatar Masters  2014.11.28 Seyb, Alexander–Safarli, Eltaj: 28…Rxf5! 29.gxf5 Na3+!! 0-1  Ouch White either gets mated or loses all of his pieces.