Sunday, March 2, 2008

Cool Finishing Tactic

The following is a tactic that I played in an online correspondence game which quickly leads to black's demise. Once you look at the position, don't check the answer until you have your own idea in mind.



So what do you think the solution is?

First you need to look at the weaknesses in the Black position.

The first thing that jumps out at me is the 7th rank weakness, and that the f-pawn is the only thing stopping mate. Any ideas yet?

Ok, here is what I came up with:

1. Ne6!!

Threatens an immediate mate on g7, and if fxe6 then Qxg7# is still mate.

1. ...f6

Only real way to stop the mate.

2. Rxc8!

This is the hard part of the tactic to see. Now if ...Rxc8 then Qxf6 and mate is unstoppable. If ...Qxc8 then Rxc8 and Black is lost. The last option is best, ...Bxc8, but then just Nxf8 and White is a whole rook up. Black resigned after 2. Rxc8.

1-0

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