Today’s winning 5-second tactics
Today’s examples are taken from the World Junior (u20) that is taking place right now in Khanty-Mansiysk. Solutions to be posted at end of the page, a little later. GOOD LUCK!
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1.
gm Abasov, Nijat (2511)
gm Duda, Jan-Krzysztof (2645)
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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2.
SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT COM’N…
cm Carneiro, Vitor R.C. (2445)
Van Laeken, Jonathan (1866)
Position after 23 moves. A Benoni Defence, some f3-variation. White stands a bit better, but Black (naturally) has counterplay. White should now try to get rid of the Black Knight on f4. But how? It was later decided that 24.Nd3 was the correct way, maintaing a good game.
24.g3?!
24…Nf8-g6!
Now White’s sense of danger should have kicked in, but…
25.Rc2??
BLACK TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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3.
Lootens, Matthias (1935)
fm Serikbay, Chingiz (2232)
Black had just played 21…Bxb2, playing some tactical nonsense on the Queenside …which White correctly ignores.
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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4.
NICE EXECUTION!
im Van Foreest,Jordan (2541)
gm Antipov,M (2541)
Position after White’s 22nd move (22.Qh5). Black has forgotten the fundamental principle of completing one’s development before grabbing pawns…Here White has a ferocious attack with all of his six pieces in play, and Black can do nothing to stave off the inevitable. There is an immediate threat against the Black Rook (Nf6+) and something must be done about it…
22…Re6
There is no better than this. Note that 22…g6 would have been crushed by 23.Qh6 followed by a Knight check on f6
23.f5!
Attacking the Rook. If now 23…Re5 24.Nd6! is crushing, as is 23…Rh6 24.Nef6+ and forced mate in 5!
23…QxN
24.Ng5!
Black , here or before, could have thrown in a check, but it would have changed nothing as the White King would only move into the corner. Here Black could have resigned (24…h6 25.Qe8+!), but decided to give the spectators something to talk about…
24…BxN
WHITE TO PLAY AND MATE IN 3
25.Qe8+! RxQ 26.RxR+ Kf7 27.Rf8 mate
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5.
im Bai, Jinshi (2511)
gm Van Foreest, Jorden (2541)
Position after 20 moves. The opening has not gone well for Black, who now finds himself besieged by all of White’s pieces…
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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6.
HUMOUR IN CHESS
gm Cori,J (2637)
Vokhidov,S (2297)
Position before Black’s 26th move…Ofcourse, Black has a big advantage, but I especially like the brutal way Black exploits White’s weak back-rank…
26…Rfc8!
Threatening …Rf1
27.Kg1
27…Nf3+! 28.Kf2
Now Black can win easily enough with 28…e1(Q) 29.RxQ NxR 30.KxN Rxg2 etc., but Cori’s solution is MUCH more enjoyable!
28…Ne1+!!
This must be a world first! Black could have promoted to a Queen and won (or , heck , he could have even under-promoted!), but instead he puts a piece on the promoting square and gives discovered-check instead. And better yet: it is Black’s strongest move!! (Note that Black virtually forces White to take the Knight as 29.KxP allows 29…Rxg2+ 30.Kd1 Nd3 etc.)
29.KxN Rxg2
Threatening …Rf1+
30.Kd2
30…e1(Q) dbl+!!
Beautiful! It is forced mate in every line!
