Chess Blog

In our ten-part article series on chess tactics (starting with 12 chess tactics … – Part 1), we have discussed the different tactics that go into different combinations. You have seen excerpts from chess games that illustrated the use of such chess tactics.

Now I would like to show you some full games that abound in such tactics and are quite exciting to play out. The purists may argue that the loser played poorly, allowing the brilliant attacking tactics and sacrifices of the winner to come through. But as we mentioned somewhere, all brilliancies result from some inaccurate play by the loser. Would you agree that if both players play perfect chess, the only outcome is a draw? Moreover, a post-game analysis taking your own time with a Rybka or Fritz or something like those by your side to find the mistakes of the loser is completely different from thinking up combinations to exploit the weak moves of the loser under tournament conditions. Just ask yourself – how many of such critics would be able to create those brilliancies on their own within the time limits of the game? Very few, I’m sure. So, instead of getting into those arguments, just try to enjoy the winner’s moves.

Here follows a game that I have thoroughly enjoyed in playing through. The winner sacrificed all his minor pieces to steam-roll his attack and all the material advantages of the loser ultimately came to nothing.

Glucksberg-Najdorf, Warsaw, 1929
Dutch Defense (ECO: A85)

	1.	d4	f5
	2.	c4	Nf6
	3.	Nc3	e6
	4.	Nf3	d5
	5.	e3	c6
	6.	Bd3	Bd6
	7.	O-O	O-O
	8.	Ne2	Nbd7
	9.	Ng5			Was he thinking of a knight fork with 10. Ne6? He should have expected Black’s next move.
	9.	…	Bxh2+
	10.	Kh1	Ng4		10. Kxh2 brings 11. … Ng4+ 12. Kg1 Qxg5
	11.	f4	Qe8
	12.	g3	Qh5
	13.	Kg2	Bg1
	14.	Nxg1	Qh2+
	15.	Kf3	e5
	16.	dxe5	Ndxe5+
	17.	fxe5	Nxe5+
	18.	Kf4	Ng6+
	19.	Kf3	f4
	20.	exf4			20. Bxg6 Bg4+ 21. Kxg4 Qxg3+ 22. Kh5 hXg6+ 23. Kxg6 Rf6+ 24. Kh5 Rh6#
	20.	…	Bg4+
	21.	Kxg4	Ne5+
	22.	fxe5	h5#

Some of you may raise the doubt that Najdorf could produce such an attack because of the weak opponent. To dispel this doubt, here is another game played by him against a stronger opponent. This game is also an excellent example of attacking tactics. However, Black could possibly salvage a draw at some stage, but with two pieces up, who would think that negatively when unble to guess White’s plans?

Najdorf-Szapiro, Lodz, 1929
French Defense (ECO: C10)

	1.	e4	e6
	2.	d4	d5
	3.	Nc3	dxe4
	4.	Nxe4	Nd7
	5.	Nf3	Ngf6
	6.	Bd3	Be7
	7.	O-O	b6
	8.	Ne5	Bb7
	9.	Nxf6+	gxf6
	10.	Nxf7	Kxf7
	11.	Qh5+	Kg8
	12.	Re1	Nf8
	13.	Rxe6	Nxe6
	14.	Bc4	Qd6
	15.	Bh6	Bf8
	16.	Re1	Bc8		16. … Bxh6 17. Bxe6+ Kg7 18. Qf7#
	17.	Qe8	Bd7
	18.	Rxe6	Rxe8
	19.	Rxe8+	Be6
	20.	Bxe6+	Qxe6
	21.	Rxf8#