“Life’s just a bunch of accidents, connected by one perfect end.”

― Daniel C. Tomas

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WARNING: Some of these examples below are tough and require inspired solutions!  Good luck!!

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im  Claesen, Pieter  (2319)

gm  Edouard, Romain

Rencontres Francophonie Montreal  2015.7.24  Black had just played 17…g5, attacking the White Bishop.  If now the anticipated 18.Bg3 there would follow 18…Qb6! 19.Rd3 Rad8 20.h4 Kg7!? when Black seems to have a very correct game.

WHITE TO PLAY AND GET A BIG EDGE!

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fm  Rakotomaharo, Fy A  (2450)

Chiku-Ratte,O  (2195)

Rencontres Francophonie Montreal  2015.7.23  Position after 26 moves of play.  A sharp position where both sides are playing for a win.  Black is crashing in on the Queenside, while White has far advanced pawns on the other side of the board.

The question is how to make progress?  If 27.bxc3 Bxc4 28.Qxc4 Qxd5 and Black is better; no better is 27.Bxb5 Qxb5 28.bxc3 Nxd5 etc. The young Chiku-Ratte thought a while and then came up with an inspiring idea…do you see it?

WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!

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Rencontres Francophonie Montreal 2015.7.24 Edouard,Romain–Claesen,Pieter: 18.f4!! gxh4 ( 18…gxf4? 19.Nd5  or 18…exf4? 19.Bf2 ) 19.fxe5 Nh7 (19…Qe7? 20.exf6 Bxf6 21.Nd5!) 20.Qc4!  Recovering the piece with a huge advantage.  Black resigned on the 44th move.

Rencontres Francophonie Montreal  2015.7.23; Chiku-Ratte,O–Rakotomaharo,F.A: 27.Rf5!! A brilliant idea: to play Rh5 and then mate!  Curiously, Black is defenceless.  The game continued 27…Qc8 (27…Bxc4 28.Rh5) 28.f8=Q+! Qxf8 (28…Bxf8 29.Rh5 is decisive) 29.Rxf8+ Rxf8 30.bxc3 and White has a big advantage that was easy to convert: 30… Nc2 31.Rc1 Bxc4 32.Qxc4 Ne3 33.Qe4 Nf5 34.c4 Rab8 35.Qd3 Bb2 36.Rf1 Nd4 37.Rxf8+ Rxf8 38.Nxd4 cxd4 39.g3 Ra8 40.Qe2 1-0