Sunday’s 5-second tactics!
“For the Present is the point at which time touches eternity.” ― C.S. Lewis, The Screwtape Letters
Good luck with today’s collection!
—————————————
gm Krasenkov,M
gm Hammer,J
Rilton Cup. Position before Black’s 34th move. White is a pawn up but Black has active pieces; infact, both sides have active pieces! If it were White’s move, he has a choice of between 35.Qd5 or 35.Rd7 first, then followed by Qd5. So Black must act quickly if he is to show compensation for the pawn.
HOW DOES BLACK FORCE A DRAW?
(Difficult)
——————————————–
Jogstad,M
Cederstarm-Barsk
Rilton Cup. Position before Black’s 29th move. Not much seems to be going on in this Dutch-type position, but appearances can be deceiving (and in this case they are definitely deceiving)
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
(Difficult)
———————————————
gm Bellon Lopez,Juan
Johansen,S
Rilton Cup. Position before Black’s 20th move. A curious position in that White thinks that he is attacking but infact it is Black who has the attack! (In anycase, the imortant thing is that both sides are having fun…)
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
(Easy)
—————————————–
Nielson,R
Bit-Narva,D
Rilton Cup. Position before Black’s 26th move. Black is clearly better, but the position is not simple. If the immediate 26…Qb4 (?) 27.Bh7+ Kh8 28.Bxc2 when Black has nothing better than a perpetual starting with 28…Bxa2+!. Better, but leading to a long endgame a pawn up, is 26…Bxf5!? 27.RxQ Rxh2+! 28.PxB RxR+ 29.Qc1 etc. HOWEVER, Black can do better…
BLACK TO PLAY AND CRUSH WHITE!
(Easy)
————————————-
Salzgeber,F
gm Alekseev,E
Zurich Open. Position after 18 moves of play. Black failed to castle when he could have and now must pay the consequences. If only I had a penny for everytime somebody ‘forgot’ to castle and was later punished, I would be listed on the FORBES richest list!
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
—————————————-
SOLUTIONS
Rilton Cup 2014.1.4. Hammer, Jon Ludvig–Krasenkow, Michal: 34…Bxg3!! 35.Kxg3 There is nothing better. After 35.Rd7 Bxf2! Black wins and if instead 35.Qd5 Qxd5 36.Rxd5 h4 Black would have the advantage. 35…Qe5+ 36.Kg2 Qg5+ 37.Kf1 ( There is no escaping the perpetual: 37.Kh1 Qf4 38.e5 Rxf2 39.Bg2 Qc1+ 40.Kh2 Qf4+ etc ) And now correct is 37…Qb5+! 38.Ke1 Qxb4+ 39.Kf1 Qb5+ 40.Kg2 Qg5+ with a perpetual ) INSTEAD, Black blundered with 37…Qf4 and lost after 38.Be2!
Rilton Cup 2013.12.30. Cederstam-Barsk, Carl–Jogstad, Martin: 29…Qh4!! 30.gxh4 Loses without a fight. Better, though insufficient is 30.Be1 Bh3+ 31.Kg1 ( 31.Kf3 Qg4+ 32.Ke3 Bxf4+ 33.gxf4 Bg2 etc ) 31…Nxg3etc ) 30…Be2+ 0-1 It is mate!
Rilton Cup 2013.12.29 Johansen, Stian–Bellon Lopez, Juan Manuel: 20… Qh4! Threatening mate to the King. 21.Rfd1 Nh2! 0-1 It is mate to the Queen!
Rilton Cup 2014.1.1 Bit-Narva, David–Nielsen, Rogvi Egilstoft: 26.Ng5 Rxb2+ 27.Kxb2 Qb4+ 28.Kc1 ( 28.Ka1 Nb3+ ) Nb3+ ( 28…Qc4+! is even better! ) 0-1
37th Zurich Christmas .2013.12.26. Alekseev, Evgeny–Salzgeber, Frank: 19.f5! gxf5 20.Bxf5! (20.Nxf7 is equivalent) 20… Qh4 21.Nxf7! Kxf7 22.Bxe6+ Kg6 23.Rf4 Qxh6 24.Qd3+ 1-0