Be Alert

It is one thing to solve tactical exercises, but quite another to seize such opportunities when they arise in our games. Often we get caught up in our plans to such an extent that we carry on with a sequence of moves unaware that an opportunity for advantage arose.

I noted in "Two Donner Quotes" that A Class players have defects in their game. Yesterday, in the last round of the Eastern Washington Open, my opponent, a strong A Class player, missed an opportunity after my 23...Ng4? I had considered 23...b5, which Stockfish sees as slightly better for Black.

White to move

Five moves later, it was my turn to miss a chance for a decisive advantage.

Black to move

What would you play in these two positions?

Checkmates Missed; Checkmates Found

This morning during a momentary lapse of reason, I threw away a game.

Black to move

I played 40...Bxh2?? and was mated.

A couple of days ago, in a game that I won, I missed not one, but two forced checkmates in two moves.

White to move

30.Be4+ did not throw away the decisive advantage, but did extend the distance to mate. After 30...Kb8 31.d7 Bxe4 32.d8Q+ Kxb7, I had a second opportunity to play a simple mate in two.

White to move

The game continued 33.Rc7+ Kb6 34.Rxf7+ Black resigns.

Later that same day, I found a mate in four after my opponent threw away a winning position with 28.Ng6??

Black to move

Last night, just before bed, I managed to find a forced mate in six in a three minute game after my opponent played 31.Rcc7

Black to move

I have not given any of the checkmate sequences, leaving them for the reader to find.

Knight over Bishop

I had this position this morning. I was White.

Black to move

41...Bd3??

It is clear that 41...Be2 would have prevented, or at least delayed my plans to remove Black's g-pawn, but 41...Ba2 also keeps the draw in hand. To wit, 42.Nf3 Kc4 43.Ne5+ Kb4 44.Nxg6 Kxa4 45.Ne5 Bg8 46.Kxf5 c4 and White will be forced to give up the knight for Black's last pawn.

42.Nf3+- c4 43.Ne5 Bc2 44.a5!

This move was necessary to the win.

44.Nxg6 Bxa4 45.Ne7+ Ke6 46.Nxf5=

Black to move

Analysis diagram

Black's only drawing move may not be so easy to find here. What would you play?

44...Kc5 45.Nxg6 Kb5 

White to move

46.Ne5

Stockfish favors 46.a6! The lines following are pure engine.

46...Bb3 47.g6 Kxa5 48.g7 c3 49.bxc3 Bg8 50.Kxf5 Kb5 51.Kf6 Kc5

White to move

52.c4

White wins more quickly with a simple technique: Ke7 or Nf7 with the idea of trapping the bishop. 52.Nf7 Kc4 53.Kg6 Kxc3 54.Nh6 Be6 55.Nf7 and the pawn promotes.

52...Kd4 53.Kf5

I appeared to be oblivious to the technique mentioned above.

53...Kc5 54.Ke4 Kd6 55.Kd4 Ke7

White to move

56.c5!

I found the only winning move.

56...Kf6 57.Nd7+ Kxg7 58.c6!

And again, only one move wins.

58...Be6 59.Ke5

59.Kc5 also wins

60.Nc5! Be2 61.c7 Bg4

White to move

62.Ne6+

Black's last few seconds of time ran out.

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