As I stated before, I read Chess Today daily. In today’s issue (CT-2834), I saw the following diagram. It is Black to move. Can you find the best continuation for GM Short?
Chess Daily News from Susan Polgar
Practical chess tactic
1…Nf2 looks like a good move.
1…Nf2 looks like a good move.
Could you elaborate, please? Why can’t White just chop it off with 2.Nxf2?
2. Rc3+
Yeah, white can just chop it off with 2.Nxf2. I did not look at the position to thoroughly and had both black rooks on the c-file. Under these circumstances 1…Nf2 would have been possible. However, in the actual position 1…Nxc3 seems to be the move for black: white recaptures with the knight, black doubles rooks, white plays Ra3, black bishop retreats to d6 and then goes to b4. Nice. Sorry for the confusion.
I’m guessing one of us has the position wrong.
1…Nf2?
2.Nxf2 Rxc3+?
3.Kxc3
The knight doesn’t guard c3 any more; you sacrificed it two moves ago.
1…Nxc3!
[1…Rxc3+?! 2.Nxc3 Rc8 3.Ra3 Bd6 4.Rb3 Bb4 5.Ng5 Nxc3 6.Kd3 and white is more than fine.;
1…Nf2?? 2.Nxf2+-]
2.Nxc3 Rbc8 3.Ra3 Bd6 4.Rb3 Bb4! 5.Kd3–+
Pharaoh
1…Nxc3
Yes, that looks much better. Dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s:
1…Nxc3
2.Nxc3 Rbc8
3.Ra3 Bd6
4.Rb3 Bb4
5.Rxb4 Rxc3+ and 6…Rxf3
… with a big edge.
Insted of 5.Rxb4, White can play 5.Kd1(or Kd2 or Kd3) and will be able to protect the f3 knight with Ke2, or even simply play 5.Rf1. So, the other knight will remain.
In the game, Wade played 4.Rha1.
Insted of 5.Rxb4, White can play 5.Kd1(or Kd2 or Kd3) and will be able to protect the f3 knight with Ke2, or even simply play 5.Rf1. So, the other knight will remain.
Good catch — those are both improvements over 5.Rxb4(?). I think Black still wins, but your defenses are definitely stouter.