Today’s winning 5-second tactics

 

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gm Strikovic, A

Barrenechea Bahamonde, Gustavo  (2200)

XXIV Torneo Magistral Internacional de Elgoibar  2014.12.17 Position after 12 moves.  Black has played a risky line in the Caro, taken a hot pawn on d4….and worse: does NOT know the theory! His last move , 12…Ne7? (12…Be7!), loses immediately!  Do you see why?

WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!

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Gorka,Carl  (2089)

fm  Jordan, William  (2233)

Australasian Masters IM  Melbourne AUS  2014.12.14  Position after 31 moves of play.  It looks as though White is busted (32.Qf2? Be6 or  32.Qd3? Qxh2+) but he finds a hidden resource to save the game.  Do you see it?

HOW SHOULD WHITE PLAY?

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gm  Romanov,E

gm  Pogorelov,R

Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival 2014.12.14  Position before Black’s 33rd move. Black appears to be in trouble , having weaknesses and pieces hanging (White is threatening RxN). If 33…Rxb2!? 34.Rxb2 Qxb2 35.Bxc4 Kh8 36.Rb1 and White has reasonable practical winning chances, given White’s Bishop pair and better pawn structure (Karpov won a similar position against Ljubojevic in Montreal 1979)

WHAT IS BLACK’S BEST CHANCE?

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fm  Makhmutov,R  (2428)

gm  Romanov,E

Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival 2014.12.14  Position after 21 moves. Black seems to have everything undercontrol…

HOW CAN WHITE GET THE UPPER HAND?

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XXIV Torneo Magistral Internacional de Elgoibar  2014.12.17 Barrenechea Bahamonde, Gustavo–Strikovic, Aleksa: 13.Ba6!! Black can not allow 14.Nd6, but has to make too many concessions to prevent it.  Black is busted!  The game continued: 13…Rd8 14.Bxb7 f5 15.Ng5 Rxd1+ 16.Rxd1 Qb5 17.Qe3 h6 18.Qxe6 hxg5 19.Bc8 1-0

Australasian Masters IM  Melbourne AUS  2014.12.14 Jordan, William—Gorka,Carl : 32.Rh7+!! Kg5?? ( 32…Kxh7! is forced:33.Nxf6+ Qxf6! 34.Qxf6 Rae8 and though White is a shade better, Black should hold without difficulty ) 33.h4+ Kg4 34.Nxf6+ ( Good enough, but  34.Ne3+! is more precise ) Qxf6 35.Qxf6 Rae8 36.Qg5+ Kf3 37.Bd5 1-0

Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival 2014.12.14 Pogorelov,R –Romanov,E: 33…Rxg3+! Best chance. 34.Kxg3?! (Correct is 34.fxg3 c3 35.Bd3 cxb2 and though White is better, Black has reasonable chances) c3!  Now Black is better and, being in time trouble, Pogorelov put up little resistance: 35.Ra1 Qxb2 36.f4 c2 37.Re1 Nb3 38.Ra8 Qc3+ 39.Kh4 Nc5 40.Rxf8+ Bxf8 41.Qe2 c1=R 0-1

Sunway Sitges International Chess Festival 2014.12.14  Romanov,E—Makhmutov,R:  22.Nxg6!! Re8 ( 22…Rxg6 23.Nh4 Nb6! 24.Qxc5 Qd3 25.Nxg6 fxg6 26.Rcd1 with clearly the better position as the two Black minor pieces can not get any play while White has a weakness free and dominating position. Notice that 22…Qxg6 23.Qxd7 ) 23.Ngh4 (23.Nfh4!) 23…Qe6 24.Rcd1 Nf8 25.Qxc5 Qxa2 26.Nf5 Qxb2 27.Rb1 Qa2 28.Nd6 Reb8 29.Ra1 Qe6 30.Rxa7 Qg6 31.Nh4 Qh5 32.Nhf5 Ne6 33.Qb4 Rf8 34.h4 1-0