Is there a win? Flashcards
Is there a win for White after …Ne4?
8-1: No. In this typical Petroff’s Defense position, the pin 1.Qe2 is simply met by 1…Qe7. Any other Black defense allows 2.d3 which wins the knight.
Is there a win for White after …R8f8?
8-2: Yes. 1.dxc5 wins the queen since 1…Rf1+ is met with 2.Re1. Of course, not the “automatic” 2.Rxf1?? Rxf1+ 3.Re1 Rxe1#. Despite the simplicity of moves such as 2.Re1, many beginners don’t even consider this “guard through another piece” possibility until it is pointed out to them after they get checkmated! (Seeds: black queen en prise, weak White back-rank).
Is there a win for White after …a6?
8-3: No. 1.Nxe5 Nxe5 2.Qh5+ is very speculative because of 2…Nf7. White should settle for 1.Bc4, when Black’s kingside is full of holes. However, White’s advantage is actually fairly small. (Seeds: Black’s kingside is exposed, weak white squares, White will have more pieces in play).
Is there a win for white after …e4?
8-4: No. Despite the obvious Seeds, there’s no big combination here. 1.Bxf7+ Kxf7 2.Qxd8 fails to 2…Bb4+ and Black wins back the queen and is OK after 3.Qd2 Bxd2+ 4.Nfxd2. This counter win of the queen in quite common and is a good pattern to remember. White definitely has a pleasant game and can easily win back his pawn with just the dull 1.Qxd8+ Kxd8 2.Ne5. There’s no big win, just the possibility to even up the material. (Seeds: possible removal of the guard on d8 and/or f7, white knight en prise.)
Is there a win for white after …Nbd7?
8-5: No. White can’t even win a pawn in this famous “Cambridge Springs” trap, as after 1.cxd5 exd5 2.Nxd5?? Nxd5! 3.Bxd8 Bb4+ 4.Qd2 Kxd8 (only slight more accurate than 4…Bxd2+) and when the smoke clears Black is a piece ahead. (Seeds: the black d-pawn is attacked twice and dfended twice, but one of the defenders is pinned to the queen, White’s e1-a5 diagonal can become weak, exposing the king.)
Is there a win for White after …Bg4?
8-6: No. Legal’s Mate does not work with a knight onf6: 1.Nxe5? Bxd1 2.Bxf7+ Ke7 3.Nd5+? isn’t mate. And 1.Bxf7+? Kxf7 2.Ng5+ fails because the bishop on g4 is defended. Finally, 1. Bxf7+? Kxf7 2.Nxe5+? is also bad because of the obvious 2…dxe5 and White has egg all over his face (Seeds: Legal’s Mate pattern: possibiliies for attacks on f7, discovered attack on bishop on g4).
Is there a win for White after …Bb4?
8-7: No. 1.Qd8+ Rxd8 2.Rxd8+ Bf8 is OK for Black. If you reverse the piece configuration so that the queen is on d1 and the rook on d6, then it would work.
Is there a win for White after …Qb7?
8-8: No. The tempting pin 1.Bf3? fails to 1…Qxf3 (don’t forget to look at all checks, captures and threats!) and if 2.gxf3? Rg8#! (Seeds: black queen and king on the same diagnoal as the white bishop; both kings cramped).
Is there a win for White after …e6?
8-9: Yes. Instead of retreating the knight, White has 1.Bb5 (pin) Qxb5 2.Nxc7+ (fork) winning the queen. This tactic is often overlooked by beginners and intermediate players alike. (Seeds: black king and queen on same diagonal, possible knight fork on c7, White is ahead in development.)
Is there a win for White after …Qh7?
8-10: No. The “obvious” knight fork 1.Nf6? fails to 1…Qb7!, with inevitable mate for black on g2. If you didn’t look for this defense, then you’re displaying habits of Hope Chess. Instead, the simple 1.Ne5 leaves White with a solid advantage. (Seeds: big family forking square on f6, White is weak on the a8-h1 diagonal).
Is there a win for White after …Na6?
8-11: Yes. Thanks to the bishop pin on the c1-h6 diagonal, White does not have to immediately save the bishop on c8, but instead can play 1.Rh3 winning the queen for the rook. If White tries the double attack/removal of the guard with 1.Bb7?, then 1…Ra7 is OK for Black. (Seeds: white bishop en prise, black rook and knight on a file that can be double attacked by the white bishop, bishop pins the knight ong g5, black queen and king lined up on h-file.)
Is there a win for White after …Qa6?
8-12: No. The important thing to notice is that the tempting 1.Qh6, going for the big knockout blow by threatenging the obvious 2.Qg7#, fails to 1…Bxe5+ 2.Rb2 Bxf6! (but not the greedy 2…Bxb2+?? e. Kxb2 and Black loses his queen since 3…Qxf6 4.Rxf6 is forced to prevent mate. White should play the far more subtle 1.c3! or 1.Rb2! blocking the diagonal with a winning attack. (Seeds: both sides weak on the darksquares around their kings, possible mating pattern with white pawn f6 and queen g7, knight on a3 is en prise.)
Is there a win for White after …Nce6?
8-13: No. Despite his menacing pieces, White has no big combination and should settle for a nice advantage with 1.Bxg7 Nxg7 2.Nxg7 Rg8 (2…Qxg7 3. Qxg7+ Kxg7 4.Bc6 Rc8 5.Rxd7+ is good for White, but Black may survive) 3.Nxe8 and whether Black plays 3…Rxg4+ or 3…Qxe8, White is somewhat better. (Seeds: knight pinned to the rook, both kings somewhat exposed, possible discovered attacks on h7, white queen and king both on open g-file,many white pieces near Black’s king.
Is there a win for White after …Rh8?
8-14: Yes, White has 1.Nf6+ Kf8 2.Qh6+! Alwas look for checks – they might lead to mate! In this case, rejecting the check because the queen gets captured upon 2…Rxh6 is a mistake, since the rewards for White are greater thanthe sacrificed material! 2…Rxh6 3.Bxh6#! (Seeds: the black king has few escape squares, White has an outpost on f6 near the black king, Black’s dark squares are weak).
Is there a win for Black after Re1?
8-15: Yes. Black can castle on either side and is just ahead a rook! The game Kubacki-Heisman, LaSalle 1967 continued, 1…O-O-O 2.Qxe7 Qxd2 3.Qxc5+ Kb8 4.Re7 Qd1+ Returning material to simplify into an easy win. 5.Kxg2 Qd5+ resigns Since, with queens removed, White’s position is no longer threatening. (Sees: Black is ahead enough material that sacrificing to get the king into safety becomes a consideration; Black’s king is very exposed and is on the same open file as a white queen and rook; the black bishop is pinned to the king and is poorly defended so a checkmate is threatened; the bishops on d2 and g2 are en prise.)
