[Corrected Diagram] Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Great to be Queen

Published: Tue, 03/04/14

Newsletter Issue Great to be Queen

Tactics Time

Great to be Queen

It's great to be queen! ~ Helen Mirren


T

oday's newsletter is another one written by my friend, Life Master Joel Johnson, who just released his new book "Positional Attacks"!

In the position on the right it is White to move.

Answer below.

**NOTE I had the wrong diagram in the last e-mail!! My email blew up with people letting me know - thanks for telling me :) Sorry about that! ***

Joel writes:

The following game is an excerpt from my new book, "Positional Attacks". The book was released on February 28, 2014.

Fatal Weakness

Just one weak square in your opponent's defensive stronghold can give rise to a terminal attack. The ability to manufacture and/or identify existing weaknesses in your opponent's position is a lethal skill to possess.

The moves are easy to see if your eyes can easily spot the weakness in the Black position.

Here is the complete game

[Event "Casual Game"]
[Site "London"]
[Date "1892.??.??"]
[Round "?"]
[White "Wordsworth Donisthorpe"]
[Black "Mundell"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C46"]
[PlyCount "29"]
[EventDate "1892.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Nc3 d6 4. d4 Bg4 5. Be3 f5 6. d5 fxe4 7. Nxe4 Nce7 8. c4
Nf6 9. Nxf6+ gxf6 10. h3 Bd7 11. Nh4 Ng6 12. Bd3 Nxh4 13. Qh5+ Ng6 14. Bxg6+
Ke7 15. Qxe5+!! 1-0

You can play through this game here: http://www.viewchess.com/cbreader/2014/3/2/Game81106323.html

Answer:

Both the Black d-Pawn and the Black f-Pawn are threat pinned. As a result the Black e-Pawn on e5 is undefended, thus the move 15. Qxe5+!! crumbles the Black kingdom.

Black is checkmated after 15. Qxe5+!! fxe5 (15. ... de5 16. Bc5#) 16. Bg5# 1-0

Happy Tactics!

Your Friend,

Joel

   Life Master Joel Johnson
   2007 U.S. Senior Champion
   Author of "Formation Attacks", "Formation Attack Strategies", "Attacking 101: Volume #001", and now, "Positional Attacks".