Letting go of the queen

Here's a position that arose in a 5/0 I played recently:



I was white, with white to move. I decided to let go of the queen and play gxf6. According to the computer, this move was technically correct and put me at ~ +2.5 after he captured my queen. I, however, ended up losing because of inaccurate play.

My question is this: in such a position, would you guys play the technically correct, though much more difficult gxf6, or play the safer move and save the queen? I'm not sure. Though gxf6 may have been correct, giving up the queen meant I had to play very accurately. This is something, though I try, I can not do, especially in a 5/0.

Originally posted by amolv06
Here's a position that arose in a 5/0 I played recently:

[fen]r2q1rk1/1bb1n1pp/p4p2/1p1p1PP1/2nN4/P1NBB3/1PPQ3P/R3K1R1 w Q - 0 18[/fen]

I was white, with white to move. I decided to let go of the queen and play gxf6. According to the computer, this move was technically correct and put me at ~ +2.5 after he captured my queen. I, however, ended up los ...[text shortened]... to play very accurately. This is something, though I try, I can not do, especially in a 5/0.

with just a quick glance and with those time controls I'd play BxN then gxf6

Originally posted by wolfgang59
with just a quick glance and with those time controls I'd play BxN then gxf6

i'd Ke6 after BxN, then gxf6

Originally posted by trev33
i'd Ke6 after BxN, then gxf6

after Ke6 black plays QxQ (assuming he took bishop with d-pawn)

Originally posted by trev33
i'd Ke6 after BxN, then gxf6

Qxd2 and I think black can hold.

Capturing the knight seems kind of bad. f5 starts getting loose, Bb7 becomes very powerful (especially since white no longer has a LS bishop), and black will have play on the e and d files with the white king in the center.

Originally posted by mcreynolds
Capturing the knight seems kind of bad. f5 starts getting loose, Bb7 becomes very powerful (especially since white no longer has a LS bishop), and black will have play on the e and d files with the white king in the center.

Yes you are right it does get bad, 😕

... but my knee-jerk reaction when my Q is attacked is kill!

I would take the N every time at Blitz.

No luck now playing Rxh7 and f6+ as the black N can escape to e4 blocking the b1 h7 diagonal. 🙁

That's exactly the continuation I played. But if instead of 5 Rxh7 we play 5 f7 I believe it's a winning continuation with accurate play.

Originally posted by amolv06
That's exactly the continuation I played. But if instead of 5 Rxh7 we play 5 f7 I believe it's a winning continuation with accurate play.

I think you mean f6? Same problem, the N blocks the diagonal, and now the Queen is coming!

Edit - actually I guess you could play RxB and then KxN and get 2 pieces for the Rook -

What about 5 Ne6 with ideas of Rxc7/b7 and Bd4?

Edit on second thought that looks bad: 5 Ne6 Nf3+ 6 Kf2 d4

Sorry, I did mean 5. f6. Ne4 blocking the diagonal is what got me in the game, but now I think it could still work.

[/b]

How do you feel about that? We're even in material, and it might even look like I'm about to be up. Black's position is definitely seems precarious.

The problem is, seeing this far out is beyond my horizon. I had this vague feeling that gxf6 could work, and I thought it out maybe...3 or 4 moves, but seeing this far is beyond me. For someone like me, would gxf6 be too optimistic?

Wow yeah that looks pretty good! Fun game this one.

Hi.

it was a 5 minute game. Who cares if you win or lose.
You had to sac your sac your Queen it's all part of the fun.

The position is full of ideas.

My possible contunuation.

I woulda moved my queen since I`m not strong enough tactically to notice that I don`t
have to move it.
Its a good sign if you even considered not moving the queen I think.