TomTom's Tactics

Pins, Forks, Overworked pieces and Mate threats.



This is the position in question. It seems very complicated but I am going to break it down for you.

First of all the knight on d5 is pinned.

Second the black queen is over worked after an exchange on f4

Third the knight on f4 covers a lot of important light squares if it was gone you could play Qd3 and after g6 the f6 and h6 squares are weak and the g3 knight can get there in two moves.

Lastly white(yes white) has to be careful of his back rank.

Use this knowledge to solve the problem. The solution is at the bottom of this post.

thanks for the puzzle!

it would be helpful if you say, whos move it is and maybe even for whom there is a winning coming up... (which can be found by glancing at the game, of course...)

Seems like one of the games where white and black allow the other to place their pieces without glancing at what the other is doing.

Originally posted by range blasts
[pgn][FEN "b3rbk1/3q1ppp/8/1p1np1N1/5n2/1BP1B1NP/1P3PP1/3QR1K1 w - - 0 1"] 1.Bxf4 exf4 2.Rxe8 Qxe8 3.Qd3 Qe1+ 4.Nf1 Nf6 5.Nxf7 Bc5 6.Qd8+ Ne8 7.Ne5+[/pgn]

Looks like a better variation for black, no? I'm not quite sure what I think of this after 5. Nxf7. Certainly there must be a better move for white instead of Nxf7, but I can't find one.[/b]

Originally posted by tharkesh
thanks for the puzzle!

it would be helpful if you say, whos move it is and maybe even for whom there is a winning coming up... (which can be found by glancing at the game, of course...)

Originally posted by tomtom232
[pgn]
[FEN "b3rbk1/3q1ppp/8/1p1np1N1/5n2/1BP1B1NP/1P3PP1/3QR1K1 w - - 0 1"] 1.Bxf4 exf4 2.Rxe8 Qxe8 3.Qd3 Qe1+ 4.Nf1 Nf6 5.Nxf7 Bc5 6.Qd8+ Ne8 7.Ne5+ Kf8 8.Nd7+[/pgn]

[pgn][FEN "b3rbk1/3q1ppp/8/1p1np1N1/5n2/1BP1B1NP/1P3PP1/3QR1K1 w - - 0 1"] 1.Bxf4 exf4 2.Rxe8 Qxe8 3.Qd3 Qe1+ 4.Nf1 Nf6 5.Nxf7 Bc5 6.Qd8+ Qe8 7.Nd6+[/pgn]