What grandmaster games seem like to an amateur

There was a thread made a long time ago by Greenpawn34, where he said one particular move was a "wow". The thread can be found here:

Thread 150700

In it, is a move by Borislav Ivanov, the retired chess cheat who has never been caught cheating. Greenpawn said move 24 is a "wow":


I was too embarrassed at the time to ask why 24. nf5 was so amazing. Everyone else seemed to just get why. But it's always bothered me that I couldn't understand what made this move so incredible.

So yeah...I fully admit that grandmaster moves befuddle me. But, could someone please explain move 24 to me, and why it was so great? To me it just seems like white loses a piece. I would greatly appreciate any help.

Nf5 threatens a fork of K and Q on h6 as well as B and K with another fork on e7. If Rxf5 then whites Q goes to d8 with check threatening to take Bishop. If that check is blocked by Q then Ne7+ wins the B.

Apologies for not putting it in pgn but I am on a phone and it is awkward.

Edit. 24. ... Qf8 does not work because 25. Nfe7+ Kh8 26. Nxc8 Qxc8 27. Qxf6. all these little points.

In pgn



And

Originally posted by Ragwort
In pgn

[pgn]
[FEN "2b3k1/5qnp/npNp1r2/3PpNQ1/2P2p2/6P1/1P3PBP/R5K1 b - - 5 24"]
24. ... Rxf5 25. Qd8 Qf8 26. Ne7+ Kh8 27. Qxc8 Qxc8 28. Nxc8 [/pgn]

And

[pgn]
[FEN "2b3k1/5qnp/npNp1r2/3PpNQ1/2P2p2/6P1/1P3PBP/R5K1 b - - 5 24"]
24. ... Qf8 25. Nfe7 Kh8 26. Nxc8 Qxc8 27. Qxf6 [/pgn]

Thank you, Ragwart. So white's best case scenario is simply trading a knight for a bishop? I'm still not seeing what makes this such a good move.

Again, thank you. I know how frustrating this site can be when trying to use mobile devices, especially when making a PGN. I appreciate your work.

Originally posted by vivify
Thank you, Ragwart. So white's best case scenario is simply trading a knight for a bishop? I'm still not seeing what makes this such a good move.

Again, thank you. I know how frustrating this site can be when trying to use mobile devices, especially when making a PGN. I appreciate your work.

I think that Black saw it coming with 23. Bc8 and as such admitted that if he was White he would have played Nf5 himself. The wow factor comes in because of all the short variations that prove that hanging a piece against the principles we normally work to, actually works. Some of the other points are more long winded and have to be expressed "positionally". Here these are the weakness of the knight on a6 the moving of which will allow White to penetrate on the a file with lateral threats on the 6th 7th and 8th rank. Also the weakness of the black b and d pawn which if captured could lead to white going two pawns up as well as being able to push his pawns through. In the meantime exchange of that knight for a knight and the disorientation of blacks pieces that leaves squares weak near blacks king and it is these that White uses to deliver the finish in the game.

Originally posted by Ragwort
I think that Black saw it coming with 23. Bc8 and as such admitted that if he was White he would have played Nf5 himself. The wow factor comes in because of all the short variations that prove that hanging a piece against the principles we normally work to, actually works. Some of the other points are more long winded and have to be expressed "positionally" ...[text shortened]... squares weak near blacks king and it is these that White uses to deliver the finish in the game.

Besides, it activated the white rook, so it wasn't even a sac.