Sunday, March 30, 2014
Sunday, March 16, 2014
See if you instead can move forward
When a piece is threatened you must sometimes move it backwards to stop a disaster. But "sometimes" is not "always".
Many players wants automatically to move a threatened piece backwards, easily missing the much better solution to move it forward. Moving forward could be the best defence. Think more like someone who wants to score a goal in football (soccer). Then you or a teammate must kick the ball forward.
Even a Grandmaster can fail to kick (move) forward.
Let's take a look at the game Levon Aronian - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Candidates Tournament 2014, Khanty-Mansiysk.
White played 13.f5.

Black played 13...Ne7?

and was lost after...
Even a Grandmaster can fail to kick (move) forward.
Let's take a look at the game Levon Aronian - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov, Candidates Tournament 2014, Khanty-Mansiysk.
White played 13.f5.

Black played 13...Ne7?

and was lost after...

14.Nde4!!
The black Queen is trapped.
14...dxe4 15.Nxe4 Qh4 16.g3 Qh3 17.Nf2 Qxf1+ 18.Kxf1 Nxf5
19.Qf3...1-0.
Black needs to play a more active defence after 13.f5.

There is one. Move forward.

13...Qg5!
Black threats to play Qxe3+ followed by Qxd3.
(13...Nh4 14.Qh5!)
14.Qe2 Nh4!

Black is OK.
The game Levon Aronian - Shakhriyar Mamedyarov at Chessgames.com and ChessVibes
Sunday, March 9, 2014
Saturday, March 8, 2014
Mladen Palac - Ernesto Inarkiev, European Individual Chess Championship 2014, Yerevan
Game collections 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.d3
4...Bc5 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1
4...Bc5 5.O-O O-O 6.c3
4...Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Re1
4...Be7 5.O-O O-O 6.Bb3
