Jacob Aagaard's Rook sac on f7.

Played a handful of blitz games tonight at the club.
Then my opponent mentioned this game which was played just a few
days ago at the Team Championship and said it was worth seeing.

It's good to share.

Jacob Aagaard (2522) - Arturs Neiksans (2503) , Porto Carras 2011

Originally posted by greenpawn34
Played a handful of blitz games tonight at the club.
Then my opponent mentioned this game which was played just a few
days ago at the Team Championship and said it was worth seeing.

It's good to share.

Jacob Aagaard (2522) - Arturs Neiksans (2503) , Porto Carras 2011

[pgn]
[Event "ETCC 2011"]
[Site "Porto Carras"]
[Date "2011.11.06"]
[Rou . Kg5 Kd6 40. Ng6 b5 41. Kf6 Re8 42. Kf7 Ra8 43. Nf8 Ra7+ 44. Bd7[/pgn]

of course 13...Kxe6 seems impossible because of Bc4 and Nd5 me thinks, what a move, totally blasts the black position up.

Oh my giddy aunt.

Sometimes I feel there's nothing to learn from these games. I'll never have the calculating power to make a move like that. It's depressing but also beautiful to watch.

Originally posted by NotEvenWrong
Sometimes I feel there's nothing to learn from these games. I'll never have the calculating power to make a move like that. It's depressing but also beautiful to watch.

What needs to be learned is the very first move.

From this game, we learn that Rxf7 is a tactical possibility. When you get into similar positions, you now know to look for it, and what kinds of moves make it work.

Very often calculating is just a matter of following the moves, and forced moves are the easiest to follow. When playing OTB this will require some mental effort and fortitude, but when playing here you can simply set up a board and start making notes.

The real key is not calculation but imagination- you have to recognize the exposed nature of black's position and that f7 is weak and ripe to exploit.

Playing through games like this strengthen your chess intuition, and intuition is the beginning of calculation. Calculation is merely a mental tool to be developed, while intuition is what tells you when, where, and why to calculate.

You are correct Paul. Jcob's catchphrase for a while was:

"Before you look first you must see!"

Which means before you can start calcualting the outcome of your combination
first You Must see that there is a possible combination on the board.

This comes with playing over such games and the ideas start to suggest
themselves to you in your own games.

I'm guessing the 8 move sequence from sac to equilibrium wasn't all that hard for GM Aagaard to come up with? What is interesting to me is how he evaluated the final position after the rook captures on g7. Obviously White is a bit better due to development and coordination but it is another thing to win it vs a 2500.

muy impressive!

Originally posted by Paul Leggett
From this game, we learn that Rxf7 is a tactical possibility. When you get into similar positions, you now know to look for it, and what kinds of moves make it work.

I agree with what you say but I’d add a consideration that takes place prior to seeing Rxf7.

Look at the position prior to Rxf7. White has a big lead in development but Black is threatening to castle. And Black will of course complete the development of his queenside pieces too, if given time. Now think of common advice such as “a player (with an advantage) must attack or the advantage will be dissipated” (Steinitz) or “tactics flow from a superior position” (Fischer), etc. Therefore, an assessment of the position is what suggests to the player that there is a possible attack and that it needs to be done now. Players will vary on how intuitively they do this – some will “feel” it immediately; others will require some analysis to help arrive at this conclusion.

Then the above prompts the player to look for ways to implement the attack. At this point, Rxf7 becomes a candidate idea – it is a very forcing move, exposing the Black king. And, of course, a player’s attacking technique needs to show the ability of not being too materalistic and instead being able to value open lines; getting more pieces into the attack with tempo; etc.

Great!!!! Thanks

Originally posted by Varenka
I agree with what you say but I’d add a consideration that takes place prior to seeing Rxf7.

Look at the position prior to Rxf7. White has a big lead in development but Black is threatening to castle. And Black will of course complete the development of his queenside pieces too, if given time. Now think of common advice such as “a player (with an advan ...[text shortened]... and instead being able to value open lines; getting more pieces into the attack with tempo; etc.

A more thorough and excellent answer!