Lightning bolt!

July 21, 2013 By in Training

lightning20

wim Matras-Clement,A

1

gm  Socko,M

From a tournament inChorzow, Poland earlier this year.  Position after 25 moves.  Black had just played 25…Qg5, threatening to take on f2, devastating the White defences, especially as g2 is a hot point, often mate!.   If now 26.Kh2 Black continues–as planned–with 26…Rxf2! when White can resign.  INSTEAD, White found what is , relatively, the best defence under the circumstances:

26.Nc5!?

2

Closing the a7-f2 diagonal

Black must have felt that White’s last move solved his problems, as he now simplified with 26…BxN (?) 27.RxN  Rf7!?, when the game is about even (it was eventually drawn in more than 70 moves!

INSTEAD, BLACK CAN WIN BY TAKING ON F2!

26…Rxf2!!!

3

Your task is to calculate accurately and show why White is defenceless!  GOOD LUCK!

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AFTER  26…Rxf2!!  White wins in every line_   27.Kxf2 ( 27.Bxf2 Qxg2#; or  27.Nxe4 Rxb2+! 28.Kh2 Qxc1 29.Rxc1 Rxb3 30.Nd6 Rxg3 with an easily won ending; finally 27.Rxe4 Qxc1+ 28.Kxf2 Bxc5+ 29.Ke2 Qh1!  and it is all over but the shouting ) 27… Qd2+! 28.Re2 Rf8+  and White must throw in the towel.  In short, 26…Rxf2!! leaves White busted and more…