Today’s winning 5-second tactics
“One thing you have to realize from now on is that it doesn’t matter if this is a dream or not. Survival depends on what you do, not what you think.”
― Rebecca McKinsey, Anterria
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wgm Turova, Irina (2421)
gm Krasenkow, Michal
44th Rilton Cup Stockholm 2014.12.30 Position after 21 moves. Everything is in the air in Black’s position; the Black Queen must defend the pieces on b7,d6 and e5, and unfortunately for Black his pawns defend none of these squares. Not surprisingly, White can exploit this.
WHAT IS WHITE’S BEST MOVE?
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fm Adamson,Robby (2249)
im Wang, Chen (2499)
North American Open Las Vegas 2014.12.26 Position after 24 moves. Black’s position is UGLY: I don’t know what his Rook is doing on a6, while his Kingside pawn structure is shattered. But that is now why Black is going to lose; he is going to lose because White finds the Achille’s heal in Black’s setup…
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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KNIGHTMARES!
im Matikozyan,Andranik (2439)
gm Zhou Jianchao
N.A.American Open Las Vegas, 27-12-2014 Position after 22 moves. White has a number of small positional advantages (more space; better coordinated pieces) but it is the Black monarch’s airy Kingside position that is the key to the position. Had the g-pawn been on its original square, then Black would be quite fine…
23.Ndf5!
Clearly the Knight should not be taken: 23…gxf5? 24.exf5 Bd7 25.Nh5! and Black is defenceless: 25…f6 26.Nxf6+ Kh8 27.Qg5 etc: Slightly better, but also depressing would be 23…Bxf5 24.exf5 when this pawn is always threatening to advance to f6.
23…Rad8
Defending the d-pawn.
24.Nh6+!
Such a nasty Knight! Black’s next is forced as 24…Kh8 allows 25.Qc3+
24…Kg7 25.Qg5!
With the arrival of the White Queen, Black’s days are counted. The immediate threat is 26.Nh5+ (which rules out 25…f6 ideas) and mate in two moves; Black can not play 25…Qe7? as then either of the Knights to f5 wins immediately. That leaves…
25…Nd7!?
Covering the f6 square.
26.Ngh5+!
The whole gang has arrived!
In general, there is no defence to an attack by two-Knights lead by the Queen. The only question to be resolved now is how Black chooses to lose…If 26…Kh8 then 27.Nf6! follows, when White is threatening, amongst other things, simply taking the Knight on d7 and then Qf6+ (mate).
26…Kf8
27.Nf5!
Threatening the decisive 28.Qh6+ Black resigns (1–0) If 27…BxN 28.Qh6+ Ke7 29.exf5+ etc; or 27…gxf5 28.exf5 and it is all over, as the reader can easily verify. Moral of the story: never let the Knights get too close to your King!
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BEWARE THE ZWISCHENZUG!
Ask, Josef (2193)
im Westerberg, Jonathan (2423)
44th Rilton Cup Stockholm 2014.12.27 Position before Black’s 26th move. A sharp game! White has sacrificed a pawn for attacking chances on the Kingside, but Black’s setup should be resilent enough to withstand the pressure. Black should fight for the initiative with 26…c5!. INSTEAD, sensing a chance to win another pawn, Black erroneously opted for simplification:
26…Bxd4?!
Planning to take the f-pawn should White recapture the Bishop on d4.
27.PxP!
A clever move! Black now must capture the g-pawn (when White would stand a bit better) but Black thought that White had overlooked his next move…
27…Be5?
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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