Category Archives: tactics
Monday’s Chess Tactics Quiz
All of the following examples are taken from the Baku Olympiad that is taking place as you read this. Solutions at the end. Good luck!
It is never easy to play the former World Champion! Here Kramnik has all of his pieces around the enemy King. Surely there must be a way to put White quickly out of his suffering?!
BLACK TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
Another easy one! It is Monday, after all!
WHITE TO PLAY AND MATE IN TWO!
Position after 26 moves. Despite Bruzon’s efforts to play solidly, something has gone wrong. Just sufficient to look at Black’s sorry creature on b7…However, that by itself will not likely be enough to win the game.
There is a trick in the position that helps White in his task…Do you see it?
WHAT IS WHITE’S CRUSHING CONTINUATION?
Black’s sorry position after just 21 moves. A classic case of being greedy and munching a pawn instead of finishing one’s development. Yes, it happens to strong grandmasters too!
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
The young American grandmaster has a beautifully centralized game, and his Knights are ready to pounce on Black’s head.
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
There is no doubt that White is better, you just need to look at who has all of the pawn weaknesses, and whose King is winging it on the Queenside…in the game continuation Volokitin played a very creative (and risky) line of attack beginning with 22.Nb6!? Be8 23.Nd4!? exd4 24.Rxe8! Rhxe8 25.Bxc6 Re2? 26.Bxb7! and went on to win the game.
HOWEVER, from the position above, there is a much simpler and riskless line that is good enough to win. Do you see it?
WHAT IS WHITE’S STRONGEST LINE?
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
A rather good example at why one should never let one’s guard down in chess, even for one moment! White is, effectively, just a piece up for nothing. Ofcourse, Black has a pawn for it, and a few tricks, but hardly enough in a serious game like this…INSTEAD, tragedy struck, when he played 28.Rag1…(‘All is fair in love and war…’)
BLACK TO PLAY AND MATE IN 3 MOVES!
A tough fight! Black is marginally better in the game, but if 36.c5!? it is still a game. Perhaps Alex thought that he was going to get the better of things after his 36.f4…or maybe he was trying to win ‘for the team’ (which was being crushed on the other boards)
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
SOLUTIONS
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.3 Atabayev, Yusup-Kramnik, Vladimir: 39…Na4! 0-1 After 40.bxa4 Rxe3 ( or 40…b3 ) follows and it is not pretty.
Olympiad Women Baku 2016.9.2 Khotenashvili, Bela-Lagutina, Olga: 38.Ng6+ 1-0 Mate next move!
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.4 Duda, Jan-Krzysztof-Bruzon Batista, Lazaro: 27.Nf5! Bf8 28.Rbd1 Black is tied hand and foot and can not do anything to prevent White coming in thru the centre. 28…gxf5 What else? 29.exf5 Nf4 30.Bxf4 exf4 31.f6+ Kg8 32.Qf5 Nxf6 33.Qxf6 Bg7 34.Qf5 Red8 35.Bd3 Rd5 36.Qh7+ Kf8 37.Nh4 Qd8 38.Nf5 Qf6 39.Ne7 1-0
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.4 2016.9.4 Volokitin, Andrei-Fridman, Daniel: 22.Rd1! Qxe2 23.Qb4+ 1-0 Forced mate.
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.3 Robson, Ray-Gourlay, Iain: 32.Ngf5! 1-0 After 32…PxN 33.Nxf5 f6 34.Qxh6+ and 35.Re3 is curtains.
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.3 Volokitin, Andrei-Ashiku, Franc: 22.Ng5! (threatening Nf7) 22…QxN 23.Nxd6 Na5 (what else?) 24.Qb6 with an easily winning game
22.Nb6 Be8 23.Nd4 exd4 24.Rxe8 Rhxe8 25.Bxc6 Re2 26.Bxb7 dxc3 27.Na4 Kc7 28.Bxa6 Rb8 29.Qc4+ Kd8 30.Qxe2 cxb2 31.Nc3 Qe5 32.Nb1 Qxe2 33.Bxe2 Ke7 34.Bd3 Ke6 35.Re1+ Kf6 36.a4 Ra8 37.Bb5 Bh6 38.Re2 Bc1 39.Rc2 d5 40.Kf1 d4 41.Ke2 1-0
Olympiad Women Baku 2016.9.2 Gaponenko, Inna-Silva, Ana Ines Teixeira Da: 28.Rxg7+! wins immediately. After 28…Nxg7 29.Qf6! and the game is as good as over, as the reader can easily verify.
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.4 Cubas, Jose Fernando-Stupak, Kirill: (Just 28.Qe3 and if 28…Qh5 29.Bd1 Rh4 30.Bxf3 etc should win) 28.Rag1?? Qxh2+ 0-1 White gets mated!
42nd Olympiad Baku 2016.9.3 Colovic, Aleksandar-Mamedov, Rauf: 36.f4?? Bxf4! 37.gxf4 Qh4 and out of nowhere Black has a winning attack! 38.Qc8+ Kg7 39.Qg4 Ra1+ 40.Kg2 Qe1 41.Bf3 h5 42.Rxh5 Qg1+ 43.Kh3 Qxg4+ 44.Bxg4 gxh5 0-1
Friday’s chess tactics quiz
(Solutions at end. Good luck!)
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1.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.23 Sadzikowski, Daniel-Banusz, Tamas : The Black Queen is about to be trapped. 18.Nde7+! Cutting off the escape route. 18… Nxe7 19.h4! And no matter how Black plays it, he loses material. 19… Nxf5 20.hxg5 Ne3 21.Qe2 Nxf1 22.Bxe6 fxe6 23.Rxf1 Nc7 24.Rxf8+Rxf8 25.e5 d5 26.c3 d4 27.c4 bxc4 28.dxc4 Rd8 29.Qd3 a5 30.Kf1 a4 31.Qe4 d3 32.Ke1 1-0
2.) Barcelona Sants 2016.8.23 Grigoryan, Karen H.-Jakubowski, Krzysztof: 17.Bxf7+ 1-0, After 17…Qxf7 18.Rd8+ etc is gory.
3.) Linares 2016.8.21 Garcia Trobat, Francisco–Martin Capitan, Feliciano: 28.Rxg7! Ofcourse! Black can not recapture because of a check on f8, but now the Black King soon has to capitulates. 28…Rgd8 29.f6! Qf3 30.Qc2 Mate is inevitable 30… Qh5 31.Qe4 etc. Black resigned a move or two later.
4.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.24 Lei, Tingjie–Dragun, Kamil: Ofcourse, Black can just trade everything a win my material force, but he has an elegant tactic that wins a whole Rook. 29…Rd1! 0-1 Ouch
5.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.23 Vignesh, N R–Derakhshani, Borna: 29.Rd8+! 1-0 Why? Because after 29…RxR 30.e8(Q)! and White comes out a full Rook ahead.
6.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.22 Melkumyan, Hrant Ravi, Teja S.: 22.Nxh6! The roof collapses. Taking the Knight would allow 23.Rg3 with immediately fatale consequences. 22… Nf6 23.Nxf7+ Kg8 24.Qg6 Qxd4 25.Be5 Qxh4 26.Rh3 Qc4 27.h6 1-0 I think Black should have resigned a bit before…
7.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.25 Aradhya, Garg–Tissir, Mohamed: 27.Qb7! Curiously Black is helpless to White’s many threats such as Rc7/c8. 27… b4 28.Be2! b3 29.Bb5 Qe4+ 30.f3 Qb1 31.Rc8+ Kf7 32.Qxd7 1-0
8.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.25 Wang, Hao-Antipov, Mikhail Al: Black’s last move (33…Rb1) sought to exchange a dangerous attacking piece, but overlooks a cute combination 34.Rxg7+! It will soon be mate 34… Kxg7 35.Qf7+ Kh6 36.Qf4+ Kh5 37.Qg4+ Kh6 38.Qh4+ 1-0
9.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.23 Harikrishnan, A. Ra-Illingworth, Max: 31.Be6!! 1-0 Interference theme. Insufficient is 31.Rg5 Rxc4! 32.Rh5 ( 32.Qxh7+ Kxh7 33.Rh5+ Kg6 34.Rg5+ Kh6 35.g8=Q Qxg8 is equal ) Qh3+ =) 1-0
10.) Abu Dhabi 2016.8.23 Savchenko, Boris-Mohammad, Nubairshah Shaikh: 30.Nf6+! Leads to a forced win 30… gxf6 31.gxf6 Kf8 32.Qg4 Rh1+ 33.Kxh1 Rd1+ 34.Kh2 Qd4 35.Qg7+ Ke8 36.Qg8+ 1-0 Mate is not far off
Wednesday’s Chess News,potpourri, etc
Sunday’s chess tactics quiz!
SOLUTIONS
Badalona International 2016.8.5 GM Ortiz Suarez, Isan Reynaldo 2564—IM Cruz, Jonathan 2433: Both players missed 28.Bxh6! gxh6 29.Ne3! Qd7 30.Qxb3 when Black’s game is shattered
Spain Ch Linares 2016.8.11 GM Narciso Dublan, Marc 2482—IM Gonzalez De La Torre, Santiago 2452: 25…Nxf3!! 26.Qe3! (Taking the Knight loses immediately to Qh3+) Qg4+ 27.Kh1 Rbxf4 and if anyone is better, it is Black
5th Washington Int 2016.8.13 GM Smirin, Ilia 2687—fm Gauri, Shankar 2346: 16.Nxe6 Bxe6 17.Rxe6! fxe6 ( 17…Qd7 18.Rf6 exf6 19.exf6 ) 18.Bxg6 White all of a sudden has a winning attack on the Kingside. 18… Qc8 19.Qh3! Rf5 There is no good defence 20.Ng3 Ng4 1-0 Without waiting for White’s reply.
5th Washington Int 2016.8.13 GM Sevian, Samuel 2600—fm Wang, Kevin 2339: 22.Ne5! Decisive shot! dxe5 23.Rxd7 Rxd7 24.Be6! The pain does not stop!| 24….Rc7 25.Qxe5 Rc6 26.Bd7 1-0
5th Washington Int 2016.8.13 fm Checa, Nicolas 2405– GM Smirin, Ilia 2687: 26.Ba6!! A deflecting sacrífice. 26…Qxa6 27.Ng5+ 1-0 After 27…King moves 28.RxB! and 29.Rd7+( The point of deflecting in the Queen in the first place) is curtains.
France Ch Agen 2016.8.14 IM Jolly, Jean-Francois 2361– GM Bauer, Christian 2620: 32.Ng6+! hxg6 33.Rxf7!! and it is all over as White will open the h-file with devastating effect.
France Ch Agen 2016.8.13 GM Bauer, Christian 2620—GM Demuth, Adrien 2545: 33.b4! 1-0 Black loses a piece! After 33…RxR 34.KxR attacking the Book, not leaving time for the Black Knight to escape its fate.
France Ch Agen 2016.8.13 GM Maze, Sebastien 2627—GM Feller, Sebastien 2602: 40.Rxd8! Rxd8 41.Qb7! Qg8 ( the threat was 42.Nd6 ) and now the simplest way to put Black in Zugzwang is 42.Be4! followed by 43.Bd5 (In the game White played 42.Qxa7 which was also good enough to win in the long run)
Monday’s chess tactics quiz!
SOLUTIONS
ch-GBR Bournemouth 2016.8.4 Adams, Michael–Gormally, Daniel : 40.Qd3! 1-0 It is easy to overlook this move in time trouble. The Queen move covers the h7 escape, and there is the crushing threat of Rd8+
ch-ESP Linares 2016.8.5 gm Narciso Dublan, Marc 2482—wfm Buiza Prieto, Eihartze 2085: 22.Nb5! Nxb3 ( The first point is that if 22…Rxb5 23.Qc3+! ) 23.Nxc7 Rxa2 24.Nc3! The second point. Now Black loses a lot of material. 24… Ra3 25.N3b5 1-0 Black is convinced!
ch-ESP Linares 2016.8.7 im Gonzalez De La Torre, Santiago 2452—fm Jimenez Martinez, Jose Vicente 2329: 30.Rxe7+!! Kxe7 (30…Qxe7 31.Qxc8+ Qd8 32.Re1+ etc) 31.Bxc5+ Ke6 (31…Kd8 32.Rd1+) 32.Qb3+ Kd7 ( a bit better, though also ending in mate, is 32…Kf5 33.Qd5+ Be5 34.Rf1+ Kg4 35.Qf3+ Kxh4 36.Qe4+ etc) 33.Qd5+ Ke8 34.Re1+ 1-0
ch-ESP Linares 2016.8.5 im Andres Gonzalez, Alberto 2512–Queirolo Perez, Manuel 2096: 21.Bxe5! dxe5 22.g4! The point of White’s play. The move cuts off the Queen from defending d7 and wins atleast an Exchange due to the Nf6+ threat. 22… Ng3?! (It is lost anyway, but this tricky move speeds up the process. A bit better was 22…RxN 23.PxR Nf4 24.e3) 23.Rf2! f5 24.hxg3 and White had no problem picking up the point. Black resigned on move 34.
4th Sinquefield Cup 2016.8.5 Topalov, V 2761–Svidler, P 2751: 26.Qc3! Nxd4 27.Qxb4 Ne2+ 28.Kh1 1-0 Black will be a piece down after 28…NxR 29.Qb8+! (the move Svidler overlooked in his original calculation) 29…Kh7 30.Qb1+ or 29…Kf7 30.Qxc7+ and 31.QxN
4th Sinquefield Cup 2016.8.6 Vachier-Lagrave, M 2819–Anand, V 2770: 30…Bxe6 31.Bxd5 e3! Winning a piece in every line! White no doubt overlooked this move. The game continued 32.Bxe3 Bxd5 33.Bxa7+ Kxa7 34.Qf2+ Bc5 35.Qxc5+ Qxc5+ 36.bxc5 Rd7 and Anand had no trouble winning
Friday’s chess tactics quiz!
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1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.15 P0sition before Black’s 33rd move. White’s pieces have been pushed back into passive positions, while Black has cleverly weakened White’s King position. Now is the perfect time to strike…
BLACK TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.18 Position after 18 moves. It seems very much as though the game is just beginning, infact it is about to end!
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.18 Position before Black’s 27th move. It is clear that White has been outplayed by his more experienced rival, who dominates the centre with his powerful armada…Black can now play 27…Nb4!? to increase his pressure (28.b3! Qa6!), but the grandmaster wants more. He wants to immediately end the game…
BLACK TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.18 Position after 19 moves. Material is even, but Black’s pieces lack coordination. His last move was 19…h6, trying to get rid of some pressure….
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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SOLUTIONS
1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.15 Khademalsharieh,S–Short,N : 33…Ne2+ 34.Rxe2 ( 34.Kf1 Qh2 35.Rxe2 Qxh3+ 36.Rg2 Nxg2 37.Nxg2 Qxf3+ 38.Bf2 Qxd1+ ) Qg3+ 35.Kf1 ( 35.Ng2 Qh2+ 36.Kf1 Qh1+ 37.Bg1 Bh2 ) ( 35.Rg2 Nxg2 36.Nxg2 Qh2+ 37.Kf1 Qh1+ 38.Kf2 Qxd1 ) Qxh3+ 36.Kg1 Bh2+ ( 36…Nxf3+ is even more precise ) 0-1 After 37.RxB Nxf3+ 38.NxN RxR+ etc or 37.Kh1 RxR etc.
1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.18 Short,N–Ghaem Maghami,E: 19.Nd5! A very nice positional sacrifice that leaves Black paralyzed and helpless. 19…exd5 20.cxd5 Qb7 21.Nc6! Rfe8 22.f4! Nh5 23.e5! Nb8 24.Nxd8 Rxd8 25.e6 Nf6 26.f5 b5 27.Bd4 Rf8 28.Qh6 fxe6 29.dxe6 d5 30.fxg6 Nc6 31.Rxc6 1-0
1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.18 Firouzja,Alireza–Dreev,A: 27…Bd2!! 28.Nxd2 (White’s problem is that he can not take with the Rook because of forced mate on c1) 28… Qc2+ 29.Ka1 Rb5! 30.b3 Ra5 31.a4 Nb4 0-1 (Also 31…Rxa4+ would win)
1st Stars Cup Bandar-e Anzali 2016.7.18 Edouard,R–Pourramezanali,A: 20.Ne4! Qe6 21.Bxd5 ! Qxd5 22.Nxf6+ Kf7 23.Nxd5 Bxc3 24.Bxc3 with two extra pawns that White had no problema converting into a win some dozen moves later.
Wednesday’s chess tactics quiz!
TCh-CHN 2016.7.26 Fang, Yan–Xu, Yinglun. Yesterday! Let’s start today’s work with a Rook and Pawn ending. Both sides have passed pawns, but White’s are more advanced, and therefore has the better chances of winning the game. But he must exercise caution, as the hasty 40.b5?! (threatening 41.Rb6+ and 42.Rc6) would allow the clever 40…Kg7! when White must fight for a draw (!), as the reader can easily verify.
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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17th Karpov Poikovsky 2016.7.26 Gm Motylev, Alexander–Gm Jakovenko, Dmitry. Position after White’s move, 22.Rd8, which came with a draw offer which was accepted(!). Fascinating! White is threatening Rxf8+ and Qd8 mate; Black, for his part, is threatening to capture one of White’s Bishops….
While a draw is actually a fair result in this game, it took me quite a while to understand why! And even so, I think that both players should have played on! If only because it is a very tricky position. For instance if now 22…g6 (luft!), then White wins with 23.RxR+ KxR 24.Qd8+ Kg7 25.Qf6+ and 26.e6!
So my challenge to you, dear Reader, is
FIND THE DRAW!
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Dutch Open Dieren 2016.7.26 Gm Debashis, Das–Vos, Tjark. Position after 22 moves of play. The grandmaster has played the opening recklessly against his less experienced rival, and now finds himself a pawn less with a shattered pawn structure.
It is clear that White would be satisfied with a draw, if he could somehow get a perpetual against the enemy King. Tempting, therefore, is 23.Rxe6!?, when 23…PxR?! 24.RxP+ PxR 25.Qxg6+ gives a draw. But the clever 23…Bf6! would refute White’s idea, and after 24.Rxf6 Qxf6 25.Rh4 Qg7 26.Qxg7+ Kxg7 27.Bh6+Kg8 28.Ne4 Nd5! Black is simply better.
Another unsuccessful idea is 23.Ne4!?, trying to get in Ng5 or Bg5, but Black successfully defends with 23… Qxd4! 24.Ng5 ( or 24.Bg5 Bxg5 25.Nxg5 Qg7! ) 23…Qg7!
But there exists a very clever resource in the above position that would allow White to save his game. Do you see it?
WHAT IS WHITE’S BEST MOVE?
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Quebec Open U2000 Montreal 2016.7.23 Morin, Louis–El-Adraoui, Mourad. Position after 18 moves of play. White had earlier sacrificed a Knight to open the Black King position, hoping that he could take advantage of it. It is not easy, however. If White now tries to bring in the Rook with the immediate 19.Qh3 (planning 20.Re3 and 21.Rg3) then Black can successfully defend with 19…Ndf6! 20.Re3 Bc8! followed by BxN.
However, Louis Morin, a resourceful tactician, had forseen a very clever idea….
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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Quebec Open Montreal 2016.7.25 Gm Lesiege, Alexandre–Fm Barbeau, Sylvain. Position after 31 moves. Both players had aimed for this position and Black–having an extra pawn–must have felt satisfied. If White tries to win it back with 32.Ng5(?!) Bd5 33.Re1 then the simple 33…Bg7! would be very strong. However, Lesiege had forseen a clever resource in the position above that gives him the advantage…
WHAT IS WHITE’S BEST MOVE?
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Solutions
TCh-CHN 2016.7.26 Fang, Yan–Xu, Yinglun: 40.Kb1! 1-0 If 40…Rc4 41.b3 Rc3 42.Kb2 Rc6 43.b5 and 44.Rb6+ and 45.Rc6 (note:43.Rb6 should be good enough also); Ori f 40…Rc6 then 41.b5 as in the last variation.
17th Karpov Poikovsky 2016.7.26 Motylev, Alexander–Jakovenko, Dmitry: 22…f6! 23.exf6 ( 23.Rxf8+ Kxf8 24.exf6 Qc1+ 25.Bf1 Qxc3 26.fxg7+ Kxg7 ( or 26…Qxg7 27.Qd8+ Kf7 28.Qxc7+ Kg8 29.Qd8+ Qf8 30.Qg5+ etc ) 27.Qe7+ with a perpetual ) Rxd8 ( 23…Qxc3?! 24.f7+ Kxf7 25.Rxf8+ Kxf8 26.Qd8+ Kf7 27.Qxc7+ Kf8 28.Qxb7 with advantage ) 24.f7+ Kxf7 25.Bh5+ g6 26.Qf6+ Ke8 27.Qh8+!? (trying to win?. Ofcourse, White had a perpetual with Qe6+) Kd7 28.Bg4+ Kc6 29.Qxd8 Nxc4 30.Bf3+ Kb6 31.Bxb7 Qxc3 with na even game
Dutch Open Dieren 2016.7.26 Debashis, Das–Vos, Tjark: 23.Ree4!! ( Beautiful! Talk about Rooks and files, well this is certainly weird. White wants to play Rh4)23…Nd6?? ( Correct is either 23…Nd3!? 24.Rh4 Bxh4 25.Rxh4 Qxh4 26.Qxh4 Nxc1 27.Ne4 Kg7 but White has a forced repetition if he wants; or the immediate 23…f5, which allows 24.Rxg6+ with a draw ) 24.Rh4 Bxh4 25.Rxh4 Qxh4 26.Qxh4 Nf5 27.Qe4 and Black does not have enough for the Queen. Rfd8 28.Be3 a6 29.Bb3 Rd6 30.Qb7 Rcd8 31.Ne4 Rc6 32.Bd2 Nxd4 33.Ng5 Rf8 34.Bxb4 Rc1+ 35.Kg2 1-0
Quebec Open U2000 Montreal 2016.7.23 Morin, Louis–El-Adraoui, Mourad: 19.Qg3! Very strong move, deflecting the Bishop and gaining time for the attack 19…Bf6 (19…Bh8 would be answered the same way) 20.Qh3! Bg7 21.Re3! Decisive 21… Bxe4 22.Rxe4 Ndf6 23.Rh4 Qd7 24.Bxh6 Nxh6 25.Rxh6+ Kg8 26.Rxf6 Rfd8 27.Qg4 1-0
Quebec Open Montreal 2016.7.25 Lesiege, Alexandre–Barbeau, Sylvain: 32.Rd8!! Re7?? (After the correct 32…Bc6! 33.Nd4.Be7 34.Rxe8+ Bxe8 White is only a bit better ) 33.Ng5 e5 ( 33…Bd5 34.Bf6 ) 34.Nxe4 1-0
Monday’s chess tactics quiz!
“When you see a good move, wait. Look for a better move!”
Em. Lasker (1868-1941)
TCh-CHN 2016.7.24 . Position after 39 moves. White has outplayed his rival and has actively posted each and every piece. Now is the time to cash in.
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN MATERIAL!
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Karpov Poikovsky 2016.7.24 Position after 24 moves. A very unusual position, especially for Grandmasters! Both Kings are in the open, but Black is up a Rook and piece…In this kind of game, the initiative is everything. In the game continuation White decided to win back some material with 25.RxN(?), but after 25…g5! White’s position collapsed like a house of cards. INSTEAD, from the above position, White has a much stronger continuation, giving some winning chances.
WHAT IS WHITE’S BEST MOVE?
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Lake Sevan Martuni 2016.7.21 Position after 20 moves. White had sacrificed a piece for the attack, but now what to do? If 21.e5?! Black beats back the attack with 21…BxB! 22.QxB Ng4+ 23.K-moves Qf5! Or if 21.Bxc8?! Rxc8 22.d5?! PxP 23.NxP (23.cxd5 Rxc3!) Rxp+ with a mating attack.
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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Lake Sevan Martuni 2016.7.20 Position after White’s 43rd move. A fascinating and wild game! Both sides are trying to win, material even but unbalanced. In such positions the initiative is everything. Wrong now would be 43…Qc3? as 44.Qb8+! Ke7 45.Qd6+! wins. Better would be 43…Qa1!?, but things are still messy after 44.Kg2 as taking the Bishop would allow a perpetual check starting with Qb8+.
BLACK TO PLAY AND WIN!
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27th Czech Open Pardubice 2016.7.23 Position after 20 moves. At first sight, a complex fight with opposite-side castling. If now 21.Bd2!?, with the idea of 22.Rc1, then 21…Kb8 is anybody’s game. Black must have felt confident about his chances in this position above…
WHITE TO PLAY AND WIN!
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27th Czech Open Pardubice 2016.7.23 Position after Black’s 24th move (24…Nb4). White had sacrificed his h-pawn to open the h-file and build up an attack against Black’s King with a later Rh1.
Black’s last move aims to exchange White’s light-colour Bishop. If White now plays 25.BxN BxB 26.Nf4, then 26…RxR and 27…Bf8 will give a sufficient defence against White’s Kingside initiative.
WHITE TO PLAY AND CRUSH!
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SOLUTIONS
1.) TCh-CHN 2016.7.24 gm Lu, Shanglei (2611)—fm Yu, Kaifeng (2251) : 40.BxN! QxB 41.Nc6! PxN 42.QxR Rf8 43.PxP! etc. In the game continuation we saw 40.Ka2 Nc5? 41.Nc6! bxc6 42.Qxb8 Nxa4 43.dxc6 Rc5 44.Qb7 1-0
2.) Karpov Poikovsky 2016.7.24 gm Jakovenko, Dmitry (2712)—gm Sutovsky, Emil (2622): 25.Qb4+! Kf7 26.Bd5+ Kg6 27.Rxf8 Rxf8 28.Qxf8 with dangerous threats. 28… Nd7! 29.Qd8 ( 29.Qd6+= ) Nf6 30.exf6 Qd7 31.Qg8 And Whtie has the better chances.
3.) Lake Sevan Martuni 2016.7.21 gm Sevian, Samuel (2595)—gm Onischuk, Vladimir (2615): 21.d5! cxd5 22.Nxd5 Qe2+ 23.Kh3 Bxe6+ 24.Qxe6 Nxd5 25.Rxd5+ Ke8 26.Qxg6+ 1-0
4.) Lake Sevan Martuni 2016.7.20 gm Pashikian, Arman (2615)—gm Anton Guijarro, David (2627): 43…g3!! 44.hxg3 Bh3+ 45.Ke2 Qb2+ 46.Kf3 Qg2+ 0-1
5.) 27th Czech Open Pardubice 2016.7.23 gm Gavrilov, Alexei (2465)—fm Wallner, Joachim (2333): 21.Bf4!! Qxf4 22.Rxe7 Rd7 23.Rxd7 Kxd7 24.Qxb7+ 1-0
6.) 27th Czech Open Pardubice 2016.7.23 im Cerveny, Martin (2384)—gm Lintchevski, Daniil (2548): 25.Bxg6!! fxg6 ( 25…hxg6 26.Qh3 ) 26.Nf4 Bf8 ( 26…Rxc1 27.Nxg6 ) 27.Nxg6 Bg7 28.Bxb4 Nc2 29.Bd6 hxg6 30.Qxg6 Qd7 31.Rxc2 Rxc2 32.Qxc2 Rc8 33.Bc5 1-0
Kotronias wins Ikaros International
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TACTICS
Spraggett on Chess 
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