Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Snow Knows

Published: Sun, 04/24/16

Newsletter Issue Snow Knows Tactics Time 
Snow Knows

It is like you know nothing at all about chess!" ~ Joel Johnson's commentary after looking at my chess games


tactics position x
 
 
T
 
 
 
his position comes from the game Fabiano Caruana (2795) vs Alexander Onischuk (2664), Round 6, 2016 US Championship, played April 20, 2016.
 
   In the position on the right it is White to move
 
   Answer below.


   I am super excited about season 6 of the tv show Game of Thrones starting tonight!

   I read all 5 of the books in 2015 (which took me about 6 months), and dressed up as my favorite character Jon Snow for the Denver Chess Club's Halloween tournament last year, which was a lot of fun.

   I recently read a really excellent answer on Quora to the question "Why does Jon Snow know nothing", which you can read here: https://www.quora.com/Why-does-Jon-Snow-know-nothing

   In the answer Kelsey L. Hayes wrote:

   It's a verbal theme, for lack of a better term. And it isn't saying that Jon's an idiot (which is a tired joke that gets used out way too much; it's not funny, people, and you're not clever for dragging it out). Think of it as more of a challenge, from other people to Jon and from Jon to himself, whenever he repeats the line in his own mind (which is often).

   The challenge: Think outside the box, be open-minded and try to see the bigger picture. If there's something that Jon doesn't "get," it's because he hasn't thought it through from all angles. Fundamentally, it's about realizing what you don't know and being able to piece together the truth by tackling a problem from a different perspective.

   Jon is actually very wise, because he knows that there are things he doesn't know. Rather than scoff at this phrase or dismiss it, he is constantly repeating it in his mind, dwelling on it and referring back to it when there's a problem that he needs to figure out how to solve. It's not about beating himself up; it's about admitting that some things he doesn't understand, and that he needs to understand. But it's because Jon is able to recognize and accept gaps in his knowledge and experience that he is then able to take a fresh approach and actually solve those problems. If he thought he had all the answers, he'd just rely on what he thought he knew, which wouldn't necessarily solve the problems.

--------------

   I think this is a great answer.  I think one of the things that holds people back from improving at chess is that they feel they know something, when in reality they don't, or don't want to accept the gaps in their knowledge.

   2 years ago I showed Life Master Joel Johnson my 20 most recent tournament games, and his response was "It is like you know nothing at all about chess!"  I found this comment amusing, and instead of getting defensive, or feeling insulted, I saw it as an opportunity to fill in some of the gaps in my knowledge, just like Jon Snow does.

   Like Socrates said, "All I know is that I know nothing".

 
   Here is the complete game:

[Event "US Chess Championships"]
[Site "Saint Louis USA"]
[Date "2016.04.20"]
[EventDate "2016.04.13"]
[Round "6"]
[Result "1-0"]
[White "Fabiano Caruana"]
[Black "Alexander Onischuk"]
[ECO "C78"]
[WhiteElo "2795"]
[BlackElo "2664"]
[PlyCount "55"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 a6 4. Ba4 Nf6 5. O-O Bc5 6. c3 b5
7. Bc2 d5 8. a4 dxe4 9. axb5 Bg4 10. bxc6 exf3 11. gxf3 Be6
12. Ra5 Qd6 13. f4 e4 14. d4 exd3 15. Qxd3 O-O 16. Qxd6 Bxd6
17. Rd1 Bg4 18. Rd4 Bf3 19. Ba4 Rfe8 20. Be3 Ne4 21. Bd1 Bxd1
22. Rxd1 Rab8 23. Nd2 Rxb2 24. Nxe4 Rxe4 25. Re5 Rxe3 26. fxe3
Rb8 27. Ra5 Kf8 28. c4 1-0
 
   You can play through this game here: http://www.chessgames.com/perl/chessgame?gid=1819866
 
 
   Answer:

   Raymond Labelle writes:

   Hi Tim,

   I thought that move 24 or 25 of Fabiano Caruana in his game against Alexander Onischuk at the 6th round of the 2016 US Championship could be Tactics Time material.

   It may be comforting for some to see that, even at this high level, games can be won or lost on shots that can be understood, or even found, by the average TT solver.

-------

   Thanks Raymond - I agree - this is a great one!

   25. Re5!! is a surprising move that takes advantage of the various pins and back rank problems that Black has.

   Black cannot take the Rook with the Bishop because of 25...Bxe5 26. Rd8# (The Bishop is "threat pinned" to the back rank).

   If Black tries 25...Rxe5 26. fxe5 now attacks the pinned Bishop, which cannot move because of the same back rank mate problem, and White wins a piece.

   If Black just moves the Rook with something like 25...Ra4 White has the back rank mate 26. Re8#

  
In the game, Black gave up his Rook for White's Bishop with 25...Rxe3 and resigned a few moves later.

 
   Happy Tactics!
 
   Your Friend,
  Tim
 

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