Black to Play

Pete Tamburro on Apr 23, 2025

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This game finish is a feast of minor piece play.

Just playing out the main line is worth the price of admission. From Christoffel-Platt, 1948 1...Nc3 Slower is 1...Bxf2+ 2.Kh1 Nc3 3.Raxd8 4.bxc3 Rd1+ 5.Bf1 Rxf1+ 6.Kg2 Ne3+ 7.Kh3 e5 8.Bxe3 Rxb1 9.Rxb1 Bxe3 10.Nxe5 Rc8 11.Rd1 h5 12.c4 f6 13.Ng6 Rxc4 and Black will win with the two bishops and extra pawn, but it will take a little while. 2.Rxd8 Ne2+ 3.Kf1 If 3.Kh1 Nxf2# 3...Rfxd8 4.Nxc5 Longer but still unsuccessful is 4.Be3 Nc3+ (4...Bxe3 5.fxe3 Nc3+ 6.Kg1 Nxb1 7.Rxb1 Nxe3 and Black is the exchange and a pawn up with an easy win.) 5.Kg1 Nxb1 6.Rxb1 Bxe3 7.fxe3 Nxe3 8.Nbd4 Rac8 9.b4 Bd3 10.Re1 Nc2 11.Nxc2 Rxc2 12.Rd1 Rcc8 and Black is the exchange and a pawn up with an easy win. 4...Rd1+ 5.Ne1 Nxh2# Very unusual final position.

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.