Evaluation Excercise

Originally posted by tomtom232
the major blunder was taking the queen! 😵

yes, that was the clear grediness, that i could understand...

but why those quite defense contraction moves?

Originally posted by tomtom232
the major blunder was taking the queen! 😵

In the Hampton Heath Chess Club in 1843 it was considered
bad sportmanship not to take sacrifices.
Players declining sacrifices were horse whipped.

Originally posted by greenpawn34
In the Hampton Heath Chess Club in 1843 it was considered
bad sportmanship not to take sacrifices.
Players declining sacrifices were horse whipped.

Quite right.

If Topalov had not chosen to capture the rook after 24 Rxd4!! in Kasparov's Immortal game, and as was said at the time, he would maybe have gained an extra half point. And the world would have lost one of the greatest tactical coups of all time.

Similarly, if you ever get a chance to do something brilliant on a chess board (still waiting), and you are not sure whether it is sound, you must, must, must go for it. If not, you are doomed to life of clicking skulls, so to speak. 🙂