Today’s 5-second tactics!
“Time has taught me not to lose hope, yet not to trust too much in hope either.”
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SURVIVAL
Wen, Yang – Gabuzyan, H
Andranik Margaryan Mem ,Yerevan
11- 1-2014.
1. g3 Nf6 2. c4 c5 3. Bg2 g6 4. Nc3 Bg7 5. e3 O-O 6. Nge2 Nc6 7. O-O b6 8. d4 Ba6 9. b3 Rc8 10. Bb2 e6 11. dxc5 bxc5 12. Qd2 d5 13. cxd5 Nb4 14. Rfd1 exd5 15. Nf4 d4 16. exd4 g5 17. a3 cxd4 18. Na4 Nc2 19. Rac1 gxf4 20. Rxc2 Rxc2 21. Qxc2 Re8 22. Nc5 Re2 23. Qc1 fxg3 24. hxg3
gm Gabuzyan, H
gm Wen, Yang
A fascinating struggle is in progress! At first sight it seems as though White is on top here (his Knight on c5 threatens the Bishop on a6 and the d-pawn is hanging) and if now 24… Bc8 25. Bf3! Re8 26. Bxd4 and Black is in a free fall: a pawn down and on the retreat! Black decides, correctly, that the only hope of salvation is counter-attack:
24… Ng4!!
Very sharp, but the only move! Black ignores the attack on his Bishop and threatens simply to capture f2, opening the White King position.
”The ability to create and to control the tension of battle is perhaps the principal attainment of the great player.”–Tartakower
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Question 1
What happens if White now plays 25.Bf3?
A double attack! Note that Black must be careful not to be tempted by 25…Qf6? as 26.Rxd4!! wins: 26…QxB 27.Rd8+ forcing mate, or 26…RxB 27.RxN! But Black has a great move at his disposal…do you see it?
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THE GAME CONTINUED:
25.NxB! Rxf2!
Black has a number of serious threats, amongst them 26…Bh6 followed by …Be3; 26…Rxb2 27.QxR d4! followed by a check on d4; 26…Rxg2+ followed by 27…Qd5+ and …Ne3 or …Qf3
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Question 2
What happens if White now plays 26.Nc5?
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THE GAME CONTINUED:
26. Nb4!
Now 26…Bh6? loses to 27.Rxd4! Qb6 28.Qc8+ or if instead 26…Rxg2+? 27.KxR Qa8+ (there is no check on d5 because of White’s Nb4) 28.Qc6! and that is the end of Black’s attack. BUT Black still has one more resource:
26… Rxb2!!
Eliminating the dark square Bishop allows Black to invade on the dark squares. Both sides continue to make the only moves:
27. Qxb2 d3!
The coming check on d4 can be fatal if White defends poorly…28.Rxd3? or 28.Nc6? go off to …Qb6+ followed by taking the White Queen. So the White Queen must move, but where?
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Question 3:
How does Black win after 28.Qa2?
The White Queen is out of play. Can you take advantage of this?
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THE GAME CONTINUED:
28. Qc1!
Good defence! Now the game will end in perpetual check. Exactly the same thing is 28.Qd2. The point is to cover the h6-square, not allowing the Queen manoeuvre …Qb6+ and …Qh6+ as in the previous note.
Now the simplest line is 28…Qd4+ (or 28…Bd4+, it being the same thing) 29.Kh1! Nf2+ 30.Kh2 Ng4+ 31.Kh1 Nf2+ etc. In the game Black played a bit less precisely 28… Bh6?! 29. Qc3 (29.Qc4!, though the game should still be drawn, but not by perpetual check) Bg7 30. Qc1 Bd4+ 31. Kh1 Nf2+ 32. Kh2 Ng4 +33. Kh1 Nf2+ [½:½]
A FASCINATING STRUGGLE!
ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS
Answer 1: Black would get the upper hand with the zwischenzug 25… Bh6!! when the natural 26. Qb1 loses to 26… Qf6!. Relatively best would be 26.Rxd4!, though after 26…QxR! would follow a long forcing variation that would eventually see White trying to hold on for dear life in an inferior ending an exchange down.
Answer 2: Black’s best would be 26… Rxg2+! 27. Kxg2 Qd5+ 28. Kg1 Qf3! with atleast a draw: 29. Rd2! (29. Qd2? Bh6; 29. Qc2? Ne3) 29… Bh6 30. Bxd4 Bxd2 31. Qxd2 Qxg3+ and now good enough for a draw is 32. Qg2 Qe1+ 33. Qf1 Qg3+) but not 32.Kf1 as 32… Nh2+ mates or wins the Queen.
Answer 3: The White Queen does not cover the critical h6-square from a2, allowing a forced mate after 28… Qb6+! 29. Kh1 Qh6+ etc Note that 29.Kf1 is no better after 29…Nh2+ and 30…Qe3+