Tactics Analysis #3

Current Puzzle rating: 2281 (+57)
Current puzzles completed: 1000 (+55)

I had a nice little run this week, breaking over 2300 for a bit before dropping back down. Here I will analyse a few of the puzzles from this last week or so that gave me problems.

Position #1

https://lichess.org/training/NXXkS
Black to move

There are a couple of tactical ideas I looked at when seeing this puzzle. If it weren't defended, Qc2 would be mate; Bxg5 would pin the queen to the king if that were defended. These elements together gave me my first idea (Bxg5 Qxg5 Qxc2#). Checking for follow-ups, 2. Be3 Bxe3 and the queen is still pinned and the bishop protected, so that looks fine for Black. White's next move I considered was 2. Ne7+, with two possible responses - (2. ... Kh8 or 2. ... Bxe7).

I tried to play Kh8, on the grounds that I would like to maintain the attack (3. Nxg6+ Qxg6) with the idea being that my bishop is still protected and the White queen is still pinned. I missed that the White bishop could interject itself (4. Be3!) breaking the attack on the queen and leaving Black to play on down a piece.

SOLUTION

1. ... Bxg5 2. Ne7+ Bxe7

Position #2

https://lichess.org/training/rA0zi

A wide-open position where we're clearly looking for a big attack.

The move I looked at the most was Rxf2, on the grounds that White can't deal with all the threats. If 2. Rxf2, Re1+ Rf1 Rxf1#; if 2. Kxf2, Qxh2 Kf3 Qe2+ Kf4 Qg4#. If something else, Qg2# or Qh2# are both on the table.

Sadly this is where I went wrong as I didn't really look for the "something else" moves - White has Rg5+ Kf7 Rg7# which breaks my idea. I really should have paid more attention to the weakness of my king, and remembered that the idea of calculating your opponents' moves is to prove yourself wrong.

SOLUTION

1. ... Qxf1+ 2. Kxf1 Bh3+ 3. Kg1 Re1#

Position #3

https://lichess.org/training/LWqrD
White to move

Looking back, it took me a while to understand this position, and maybe I tried to be too fancy. There are a few elements - the rooks are being forked and we can't allow one to fall as the move Rd1+ looks devastating if we have only one rook, the king is lacking in space. I tried to get too fancy, I think, and find something spectacular, when the solution is simple logical moves.

SOLUTION

1. axb3 (the knight isn't taking anything if it isn't there) axb3 2. Qa4 (threatening mate) c6 3. Qxb6 (free pawn and removing a protector of the advanced c-pawn) (if 2. ... Rd1#, 3 Rxd1 cxd1=Q+ 4. Rxd1 and White is fine)

POSITION #4

Black to move
https://lichess.org/training/BQluc

White has some pressure with his advanced pawn and his rook and knight up in Black's position.

Black has two immediate threats to look at - Nf3+ and Kxf6. If he plays Kxf6, he undefends the rook on f8 (1. ... Kxf6 2. Rxf8 Rxf8? 3. Re8! Nc6 4. Rxf8 (or 3. ... Rxe8? 4. dxe8=Q)

So what about Nf3+? We can try 1. ... Nf3+ 2. Kf1 Nxe1 3. Rxf8, which looks fine as we have two ways to recapture. The question is, which way is best?

SOLUTION

1. ... Nf3+ 2. Kf1 Nxe1 3. Rxf8 Kxf8 (and not 3. ... Rxf8?, as 4. Ne8+! and Black's rook is no longer able to prevent the promotion)