Today’s 5-second tactics
“It’s not that we have little time, but more that we waste a good deal of it.”
― Seneca (4 BC to 65 AD)
———————————
Shetty, Atulya
gm Margvelashvili, Giorgi
3rd Washington Int 2014.8.9 Position after Black’s 13th move (13…Qb6). This last move spoils a fully acceptable game, but no doubt Black simply did not anticipate White’s reply. In any case, if one does not castle early, your opponent will always hold you responsible…
HOW DOES WHITE GET A BIG EDGE?
——————————
im Cruz, Filemon
Aryan, Chopra (2246)
XL Obert Internacional Ciutat de Badalona-Memorial 2014.8.3 Position after 21 moves of play. Curiously, most of the previous moves had been played before, a somewhat dodgy line of the Spanish. No doubt this line appears time to time because of the sharp tactical themes associated with it.
Back to the position above: Black has intensified the fight with a sacrifice of an exchange on f3 and had just captured White’s pawn on d4 with his Bishop. Black intends to follow up with …Qd7 and pay the White monarch a short visit. While the Black threats are indeed real, Black has made the elementary mistake of ignoring his opponent’s threats…
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
————————————–
wim Hoang, Thi Nhu Y
wcm Tan, Li Ting
41st Olympiad W Tromso NO 2014.8.5 Position before Black’s 25th move. Dividing the game into sectors: on the Q-side everything seems stable; in the centre both sides are restrained; on the Kingside, the White pawns have been weakened. Guess what side Black will focus his play on?
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
————————————-
gm Kramnik,Vlad
gm Kasimdzhanov, Rustam
41st Olympiad Open Tromso NO 2014.8.8 Position after 28 moves. A key game as Russia tried to capture its first Olympiad gold in almost a decade. Unfortunately, Kasimdzhanov was well prepared in the opening (better than Kramnik) and he started to apply pressure. Feeling the need to try to win for the team, Kramnik played too provocatively (his last move was 28…d4), a very risky thing to do against a fellow former world champion.
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
——————————————
——————————————
——————————————
3rd Washington Int 2014.8.9 Margvelashvili, Giorgi–Shetty, Atulya: 14.Nxe6! ( Black overlooked this crushing move. The Knight can not be taken because of 15.Qd7+ and 16.Qxe6) 14…Bc8!? 15.Nxg7+ Kf8 16.Nh5 and White had little difficulty winning the game (1-0, 28)
XL Obert Internacional Ciutat de Badalona-Memorial 2014.8.3 Aryan, Chopra–Cruz, Filemon: 22.Qg5!! A very strong move that soon ends the game. Apart from attacking the Knight on d5, White also plans to double Rooks with Rae1. 22… Bxa1 (This loses immediately. Better 22…Qd7, though what to do after 23.Rae1. Pray?) 23.Qxd5 Kh8 24.Re7! 1-0
41st Olympiad W Tromso NO 2014.8.5 Tan, Li Ting–Hoang, Thi Nhu Y: 25…Bxg3!! 26.Rh1 ( 26.Nxg3 Ngf4+ 27.Kf2 Qh4 etc ) 26…Bf4! 27.Nxf4 Ngxf4+ 28.Kf2 Rxc1 29.Bxc1 Qg5 30.Rg1 Nh3+ 31.Kf1 Qxg1+ 0-1
41st Olympiad Open Tromso NO 2014.8.8 Kasimdzhanov, Rustam–Kramnik, Vladimir: 29.Rxf7!! (A nasty surprise for Kramnik Taking with the Queen goes off to 30.Bxh7+ Kf8 31.Qd6+ etc; Not taking the Rook allows Black to double on the 7th. )29… Kxf7 30.Bxh7+ 1-0 The White Rook joins the hunt and mate is not far off