Sunday’s 5-second tactics
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im Bedouin, Xavier:
gm Greenfeld, Alon
Sables-d’Olonne Open 2014.7.18 Position after Black’s 16th move (16…Nc4?!), attacking the White pawn on b2. At first sight Black stands very well and is even trying to develop the initiative. However, in chess the TRUTH often has little to do with outward appearances and superficial threats. As Lasker wrote, ‘‘On the chessboard, lies and hypocrisy do not survive long. The creative combination lays bare the presumption of a lie; the merciless fact, culminating in the checkmate, contradicts the hypocrite.” A Manual of Chess (London 1932)
All very true and well, but the reader must still dig deeply into the above position to find its secret. Good luck!
HOW DOES WHITE GET A BIG ADVANTAGE?
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gm Kunin, Vitaly:
gm Meijers, Viesturs
Sables-d’Olonne Open 2014.7.15 Position before Black’s 25th move. Black is very active, but must play precisely as after the straight forward 25…Bxb5 and 26…Rxc7 the White Queen will simply capture the Knight on e4 with a good game. You need to dig a bit deeper into the position to find the pot of gold…
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
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Sables-d’Olonne Open 2014.7.18 Greenfeld, Alon–Bedouin, Xavier: 17.Rxe5!! A surprising move that is easy to overlook. 17… Rxe5 (No better is 17…Nxe5 18.f4 Nc4 19.Qd4 winning a second piece for the Rook. With the Black Kingside without a dark square Bishop, the White pieces will likely soon overwhelm Black’s defences) 18.Qd4! Attacking the Knight (which must defend the Rook on e5) and threatening f4. 18… Qe7 ( 18…b5 19.f4 ) 19.f4! c5 20.dxc6 Qc5!? At this point it makes little difference. The game was already decided . 21.Qxc5 Rxc5 22.cxd7 Nb6 23.Na4 Rb5 24.Nxb6 Rxb6 25.Rc1 1-0
Sables-d’Olonne Open 2014.7.15 Meijers, Viesturs–Kunin, Vitaly: 25…Nxf2!! A shot that shatters White’s position. The idea is to remove the Queen from d3 so that Black’s d-pawn can advance, opening up the diagonal for Black’s Bishop on c5. Suddenly White is completely lost! If now 26.Rxf2 Re1+ 27.Rf1 Rxf1+ 28.Qxf1 d3+ winning the Queen. If the Queen now moves to then Black wins lots of material with 25…Qxf3 27.gxf3 d3! 28.cxd3 Nxd3+ 29.Kh1 Nxb2 etc. The game continuation was no better: 26.Bd8 Nxd3 27.Rxf6 Re1+ 28.Rf1 Rxf1+ 29.Kxf1 Nxb2! etc 30.Bb3 Bxb5+ 31.axb5: a4 32.Bd5 Nd1 33.Ke1 Ne3 34.Ba2 Nxc2+ 35.Kd2 Nb4 0-1