Hidden tactical themes
SPRAGGETT ON CHESS
The mate threats will force White to exchange Queens into a hopelessly lost ending. White resigned.
The following game was played yesterday in the first round of a very interesting tournament in Bulgaria. The chess olympiad had finished a couple of days ago and the chess world is moving forward with its usual life…
This game is curious because it shows both how simple and complex chess is at the same time! Black develops a Kingside initiative and White makes a small miscalculation in the order of moves. Black pounces on this opportunity and plays some very precise tactical moves. White is never given the chance to recover…
POSITION AFTER WHITE’S 21st MOVE (21.Bd1)
gm MALAKHOV
gm JOBAVA
White has played the opening a bit too superficially and so it is not too surprising that he now encounters some problems over on the Kingside. White’s last move defends the Queen; Jobava thought that this prevented Black from taking on f4: 21… Nxf4? 22. Bxf4 Rxf4 23. Qxh3 winning( not 23. Rxf4?? Qg2#)
WHITE IS IN FOR A NASTY SURPRISE!
21… Rxf4!
Ooops! This move must have slipped White’s attention. It is based on a simple tactic. The game continued:
22. Bxf4 What else? 22. Rxf4?? Qg2# 22… Nxf4
White must have overlooked that 23. Qxh3 Nxh3 is check! Then after 24. Kf1 Nxf2 not only is Black a Pawn to the good, but the e-pawn is weak and not long in this world.
The game continued:
23.Bf3 [hoping for 23… Bxf3? 24. Qxf3 g5 25. e6!] 23… Ne2!
Another very precise move from Malakhov. If now 24. Kh1 Nd4 attacks the Queen and wins the house.
White is dead lost:
24. Rxe2 Bxf3 25. Rf2 Qxg4 26. Kf1 Rf8! 27. Re1 Qh3 28. Kg1 Rf4!
The mate threats will force White to exchange Queens into a hopelessly lost ending. White resigned.
0-1