The combinations and tactical tricks we play in our games are sourced from games or positions we have seen before. Sometimes they have the been played against us (the best source of learning, once you feel burn of an idea you rarely forget it.) Here are two ‘must know ideas and patterns.’
A basic Queen and Bishop mating pattern and a first rank mate.
For the first mating pattern I’ll show an actual game to help it sink in. It is the ‘WOW!’ factor than is important. The game is hard to forget. If you think a double Rook sacs and checkmate belonged solely to the Victorians then catch this one. As inspiring as anything Morphy played.
N. Gaprindashvili - R. Servaty, Dortmund 1974
Header
PGN
1. e4 c5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. d4 cxd4 4. Nxd4 g6 5. c4 {The Maroczy Bind.} 5... Bg7 6. Be3 Nf6 7. Nc3 Ng4 {A standard, swap off a few pieces trick in this kind of position.} 8. Qxg4 Nxd4 9. Qd1 e5 10. Nb5 O-O 11. Be2 Qh4 12. Nxd4 exd4 13. Bxd4 {We are getting to the part where both players think that have outthought each other.} 13... Qxe4 14. Bxg7 Qxg2 {Now it is game on. Who has seen the deepest.} 15. Qd4 Qxh1+ 16. Kd2 Qxa1 {Here Black had seen that 17.Bh6 f6 and Black is O.K. But this move....} 17. Qf6 {...was overlooked. Black can only prevent mate by giving up their Queen so they resigned.}
Next in the must know category, and I am sure a lot of you will have seen this game before is one of the most famous examples of first, or back rank mate
O. Bernstein - J. Capablanca, Moscow 1914
Header
FEN
3r2k1/p4ppp/1qr5/3n4/8/1Np1P3/P1R1QPPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 25
PGN
[FEN "3r2k1/p4ppp/1qr5/3n4/8/1Np1P3/P1R1QPPP/2R3K1 w - - 0 25"] 25. Nd4 Rc7 26. Nb5 Rc5 {White should leave the c3 pawn alone but they have missed the wonderful idea Capablanca had waiting in the wings.} 27. Nxc3 Nxc3 28. Rxc3 Rxc3 29. Rxc3 {And now.....} 29... Qb2 {...no matter how many times you look at it. White is lost The tricky in for a penny in for a pound line is...} 30. Rc8 {Nothing else save the Rook or the game so might as well try this. White sets up a back rank trap.} 30... Qb1+ {30...Qxe2 was never going to be played by Capablanca but see the next two positions.} 31. Qf1 Qxf1+ 32. Kxf1 Rxc8
And, as you no doubt expected, before the main feature a couple pf RHP games where a Black Queen was offered, taken and White walked into a first rank mate.
MrCrowley - patwad RHP 2011
The game continued 19... Qc5 20. Qxc5 (better is 20...Qd1 ) Re1 mate
DaddyKool - DocKloete RHP 2011
The game continued 22... Bxd4 (better is 23.Be3 )23. Qxf5 Rg1 mate.
Onto the main game where see both the Capablanca and Gaprindashvili ideas popping in the same Red Hot Pawn game and of course blunders!!
elvisramone - peterhann RHP 2022
Header
PGN
1. e4 d6 2. d4 g6 3. Nf3 Bg7 4. Be3 Nf6 5. Bd3 Bg4 6. O-O Nbd7 7. c4 e5 8. dxe5 {8.Nc3 keeping the tension in the centre would have been better. Usually, as here, the person who cracks first in the centre is at a disadvantage.} 8... Nxe5 9. Be2 Bxf3 10. Bxf3 O-O 11. b3 {That looks dodgy, the g7 Bishop just perked themselves up. It is met with the correct response} 11... Nxf3+ 12. Qxf3 Nxe4 13. Nd2 {White has lost the exchange but one must always be aware when pinching a Rook with a fianchettoed Bishop.} 13... Nxd2 14. Bxd2 Bxa1 15. Rxa1 Re8 16. Qc3 Re5 17. Bh6 {White gives a hint of the mating pattern they are after.} 17... Qh4 18. Be3 Rae8 {Black is control.} 19. Re1 b6 20. Bd2 {Not good but hard to suggest anything else. Black is winning.} 20... Rxe1+ 21. Bxe1 Qe4 22. Bd2 {Black can now win with using the Capablanca idea 22....Qb1+ 23. Bc1 Qc2 White can resign.} 22... Qe2 23. g3 Qd1+ 24. Kg2 Re2 25. Bh6 {White goes back to their original mating idea.} 25... Re5 26. Qf3 {We know enter the Red Hot Pawn Twilight Zone} 26... Qc2 {OOPS! 27.Qa8+ and mate next move.} 27. Qf6 {OOPS! Black missed it. Now 27..Qe4+ Kg1 28 Qe1+ Kg2 29.Qe4+ is a draw.} 27... Qf5 28. Qg7 {Checkmate.}
