Switchbacks and Your Chess Pass to London.

[FEN "1Rb4r/p1q1k3/2pNp1Qp/3pb3/5p2/2P5/P4PPP/6K1 w - - 0 27"]
27. Nxc8+ Rxc8 {White now spotted a way to win the Black Queen.} 28. Rb7 Qxb7 29. Qh7+ Kf6 {Now White saw that his intended QxQ is met with Rb8 and White has to give up his own Queen to avoid being back rank mated. He resigned a move or two later.} 30. Qxb7 Rb8 {But back a move ago White failed to spot he has this move...} 31. Qh7 {Which stops the mate and the game, due to the exposed Black King should be a draw.}

[FEN "5k2/4q1p1/3Qp2p/3bPp2/2pP1P2/r6N/8/4K2R w - - 0 1"]
1. Qb8+ Kf7 {White is not looking too good so decided it's time to fire the last arrow and hope it hits something.} 2. Ng5+ hxg5 3. Rh8 {Black's defence here is to play 3...Ra8 White has nothing after that. (Hey that could be a late Switchback Blunder, that Rook started the game on a8.)} 3... gxf4 {This move allows White to play a Switchback Mate.} 4. Qg8+ Kg6 5. Qh7+ Kf7 6. Qh5+ g6 7. Qh7 {From h7 to h5 check and back to h7 to give the mate.}

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bc4 Nf6 {They call this The Two Knights Defence.. but you must think of it as the Two Knights Attack.} 4. d3 {This 'Quiet Move' as Estrin calls it is popular. and playable but passive, the Two Knights Attacker shuns passive play.} 4... d5 {Again according to Estrin not good. His 'not good' is possibly a correct assessment though some of the variations are questionable.} 5. exd5 Nxd5 6. O-O {5.Qe2 is meant to be the test of 4....d5. Black usually has to let the e-pawn go for active play. There is nothing wrong with 6.0-0.} 6... Bc5 {Sticking the Bishop on the Trick Shot Diagonal.} 7. a3 {I'll let White off with that. In some of these 'Quiet Lines' Black plays Na5 hunting the c4 Bishop. 7.a3 gives the Bishop a cubby hole on a2.} 7... O-O {I toyed with idea of 7...a5 to stop a latter b4. Decided to castle first and see what happens.} 8. h3 {But White is not getting let off with this one. It weakens the Kingside for no good reason. Looks like a safety first move. When in doubt get a piece out. 8.Nc3.} 8... Be6 {I leave my pawns alone and develop.} 9. Re1 {Now he is sniffing at my e-pawn. But it's being held with a tactical trap. Black often leaves this pawn hanging in this opening for trappy reasons.} 9... a6 {A handy waiting move. Hoping to give the impression I was worried about him playing b4. Take the e-pawn...please take the e-pawn.} 10. c3 {He never took it. The trap is still on.} 10... Bb6 {The perfect trap setters move. Moving a key piece backwards. What threat can that pose? Now will you please take e-pawn.} 11. Nxe5 {Yahoo!! He took it.} 11... Nxe5 12. Rxe5 Bxf2+ 13. Kxf2 Qf6+ {The point!} 14. Kg1 Qxe5 {Black has won the exchange and still has a 'trick a day' position.} 15. Nd2 {That Knight is on it's way to f3. I have a nice surprise for it when it gets there.} 15... Nf4 16. Bxe6 {See next game for what I had planned on 16.Nf3.} 16... fxe6 {The open f-file means more than keeping the pawns intact with the docile Qxe6.} 17. Nc4 {17.Nf3 meets to same next Black move. 17.Ne4 Rad8 all look grim for Black.} 17... Nxh3+ {I like tactically taking advantage of moves like 8 h3. If the pawn was back on h2 this sac would not be on.} 18. Kh1 {if 18...gxh3 Qg3+ 19.Kh1 Rf2 wins.} 18... Nf2+ 19. Kg1 Qg3 20. Qd2 {There is nothing to be done. Get mated or give up the Queen. White sportingly allows the mate.} 20... Nh3+ 21. Kh1 Rf1

[FEN "r4rk1/1pp2ppp/p3b3/3nq3/2B5/P1PP3P/1P4P1/RNBQ2K1 w - - 0 15"]
15. Nd2 Nf4 {Here against the expected 16.Nf3 I had planned and actually sent as 'Deep Mode' continuation. I was most disappointed to see it had not been played.} 16. Nf3 Nxh3+ {That h3 pawn gets clobbered again.} 17. gxh3 Qg3+ 18. Kh1 Bxh3 {Now the only reasonable move to prevent mate and hold the f3 Knight is....} 19. Qe2 {But that is the Queen overloaded holding f3 and g2. All she needs now is a nudge.} 19... Rae8 {The Nudge. and I do not mind falling for....} 20. Bxf7+ {I was keeping an eye on his 'trick shot' Bishop. This one also wins the exchange.} 20... Rxf7 21. Qxe8+ Rf8 {Back to e2.} 22. Qe2 Bg4 {That was a far as I got with my 'Deep Mode' continuation. I like using that feature. I could be sleeping or reading a book on a tram and RHP is springing my traps for me.}

[FEN "3q3k/2r3p1/pn3p1p/8/5P2/1B6/PP1p2PP/3Q1RK1 w - - 0 30"]
30. Qe2 Rc1 31. h3 {A crafty move. White has one chance here (Black’s back rank) This move encourages Black to over reach and gives the White King a flight square.} 31... Qd4+ 32. Kh2 {Now Nc4 by Black and they are winning.} 32... Rxf1 {OOPS!} 33. Qe8+ Kh7 {The Black King is on h7.} 34. Bg8+ Kh8 35. Bf7+ Kh7 {Back to h7 to be mated.} 36. Qg8

[FEN "r5k1/5pp1/1r1p3p/p1p1b3/2B1Pp1P/3P4/P1PK4/1R6 w - - 0 24"]
24. Rxb6 Ra7 25. Rb8+ Kh7 {Black is now seeing d6-d5 attacking both the Bishop and Rook.} 26. h5 {White can see it too. d6-d5 can be answered by Re8 hitting the then unprotected e5 Bishop. White is waiting for Black to protect the Bishop.} 26... f6 {There it is. Now the trap is on the board. If only it were Black's move then d6-d5 wins....But it's White's move and the c4 Bishop now mates Black} 27. Bg8+ Kh8 {The Black King goes from h7.....} 28. Bf7+ Kh7 {...back to h7 again.} 29. Bg6 {Checkmate.}

[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/1pp2pp1/p1n4p/1q6/3P1PP1/2B2Q1P/PPP2P2/2KR3R w - - 0 18"]
18. g5 hxg5 19. Rhg1 {White is a piece down and trying to drum up an attack.} 19... Qe2 {Black would like the Queens off then White would consider resignation.} 20. Qg3 {Bf5 by Black threatening mate on c2 is the move here.} 20... g4 {But Black is trying to keep the files closed. Now he is punished.} 21. Rde1 {OH NO.! Black can now play Nxd4 answering RxQ with NxR+ and NxQ. White had to play Rg-e1.} 21... Qf3 {Black has missed it. Now it's a Switchback Mate.} 22. Rxe8+ Kh7 23. Qh4+ {The Black King is kicked off h7....} 23... Kg6 24. Qg5+ {....and kicked back to h7 to be mated.} 24... Kh7 25. Qh5