EXTREMELY Tactical Game

Thanks for all the great responses! They inspire me to do things like this again. 🙂

After posting yesterday, I had some second thoughts about two variations in my head. I decided to look at the two positions one more time (deeper).

Here is the first one:



My analysis continued with 13. ... Ne5! 14.Qc2 Nxf3+ 15.exf3 Qh4+ (and Be7)

I didn't cover 14.cxd6, so I'll give that here just for thoroughness.

14.cxd6 Nxf3+ is a big win for black.



If 15.Kd1 Bxa4+ ... White is in check and can't capture black's queen!
If 15.Kf2 or 15.exf3 ... Black plays Qh4+ and captures white queen on the next move.

That's just a nice variation I left out.

Here is the real position that needed looking at deeper:



Here I said that white's 20.Qd5! covers the rook on h1 and removes the pesky queen from f3.

Actually, black can keep it complicated with 20. ... e4.



White is won, but the line that follows is pure chaos.

21.Rg1 Bxh2 22.Be2 Qf6 23.Qd7+! (This takes the king off d8 so that it can't support a later Rd8 ... in the event of Kd1 by white.) Kf8 24.Rf1 (keeping an eye out for mates on f7!) Qc3+ 25.Kd1 (the point of 23.Qd7+ ... no Rd8 from black) f6 (to not have to keep a constant defense of f7) 26.Rb1 ... and White consolidates!
This is a tricky computer line, but there is some rationality to the moves.

The Flohr-Mikenas is a nice little system.

For instance, in Winning With The English by Ribli and Kallai, it is the variation they advocate for white.

3. ... Bb4 is met by 4.e5!



Hopefully, the black knight will have a safer journey the second time it leaves g8.

3. ... d5 4.e5 d4 is another variation.



This is very similar to an Alekhine variation.

1.e4 Nf6 2.Nc3 d5 3.e5 d4



Play follows 5.exf6 dxc3 6.bxc3 Qxf6 7.d4 (in Flohr-Mikenas line)



Black's other response is 3. ... c5.

After 4.e5 Ng8, it is true that black has lost some time, but it is harder for white to support the e5 pawn here.



The line goes 5.Nf3 Nc6 6.d4 cxd4 7.Nxd4 Nxe5 8.Ndb5



This is actually a pretty good gambit for white.

I'll try to dig up a nice game that I remember.

Here it is:

Very instructive and entertaining! Now if I can find someone who will fall for it🙂

A nice position from a 1 minute game:



White To Move And Win
(No, I didn't find it in the game.)


Next Post ... SOLUTION

1.Rg3+!



If 1. ... hxg3 2.Qxh5+ Kg7 3.Qh7 Mate



If 1. ... Kh6



White mates in 4!

Solution Next Post

2.Bf8+! (To remove the king from defense of h5 or deflect the queen from defense of h4)



2. ...Qxf8



Continue The Mate With ...

3.Qxh5+!



3. ... Kxh5



Mate in 2

4.Bd1+ (removes king from defense of h4)



4. ... Kh6 5.Rxh4 Mate



Note that both bishops played their part in removing the defense of h4 (the first by deflecting the queen away at f8 and the second by chasing the king away).

In the original diagram:

1.Rg3+ must be met by 1. ... Rg5+ 2.Rxg5+ Qxg5 (best) 3.fxg5 , with a total crush for white.