Today’s winning 5-sec tactics

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“Good habits are worth being fanatical about.”

― John Irving

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1

Gibraltar Masters  2016.1.30  gm Nakamura, H–gm Muzychuk, M. Position after 21 moves. A curious position, White still having 8 pawns! Earlier the American champion sacrificed a Knight for three pawns, and now has a dominating position. A reasonable continuation is now 22.BxB followed by 23.e4, with great play. HOWEVER, Nakamura never lets slip an opportunity to finish the game quickly…

WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!

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2.

2

Gibraltar Masters  2016.1.28  im (2537)Tari, Aryan–gm Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime. Position after White’s 37th move (37.Rc5). Ofcourse, White is much worse, a pawn down and his Bishop on a4 struggling. However, White has set it in his mind to resist as long as is reasonably possible without embarrassing himself against one of the world’s top players. Black has a number of obvious continuations such as 37…Bxg2 or 37…PxB 38.RxB RxP+ that keep his advantage, but the resulting endings are frought with technical difficulties before the win will be achieved.

BLACK TO PLAY AND CRUSH!

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3.

3

Gibraltar Masters 2016.1.27gm Vachier-Lagrave,Maxime–Gunina,Valentina. Position after 30 moves. A tough, complicated struggle with both players striving to win. Black’s last move (30…Nd6) aims to finish the game rapidly (the threat is …Nf5), but falls victim to a diabolical counter-shot by the French superstar.

WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!

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SOLUTIONS

Gibraltar Masters  2016.1.30 Nakamura, H–Muzychuk, M: 22.d6! Bxd6 23.Qxg6+ The point of White’s play.  He now gets a winning attack. 23…Kh8 24.Qxh6+ Nh7 25.Ng5 Ndf6 26.Rdf1! 1-0  Resistance is futile…

Gibraltar Masters  2016.1.28  Tari, Aryan–Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime:  37…Bc4!! A brilliant and surprising solution to the position!  Black will emerge a piece up after any of 38.Ka3 , 38.Kc3 or 38.Kc2 because of 38…Bf1!.  White naturally resigned.

Gibraltar Masters  2016.1.27  Vachier-Lagrave, Maxime–Gunina, Valentina:  31.g6!!  Bxg6 ( 31…hxg6 32.Qh4)  32.Qe5! Rf8 ( 32…Bf7 33.Re2 Qd1+34.Bf1 with a winning attack ) 33.Bxd5+ Nf7 34.Bg5! 1-0