JOIN USInstinctive moves may not always pay dividends
Of course, each and every move before being executed on board has to be calculated precisely but then there are certain moves made more out of instinct.
However the chess basic — calculate and re calculate before making each and every move — does hold good at all times. In the game below, White’s castle wall is broken but he castles on the same side. Black’s instinct is always to go on the aggressive but he gets tempted by a knight move on the 18th turn and then on there is no respite for him.
White: Viktor Mikhalevski (2516) – Black: Arkady Rabinovich (2413)
Dutch Open Dieren, 1999
Queen’s Gambit
1.d4 d5 2.c4 c6 3.Nf3 Nf6 4.Nc3 dxc4
Accepting the pawn
5.a4 Na6. This is not a preferred continuation but is played sometimes.
6.e4 Bg4 7.Bxc4 Bxf3 8.gxf3.
White’s King side is ruptured
8. ..e6 9.Be3 Nb4 10.0–0
Difficult to understand this decision by White to castle on the Kingside. He could have waited and tried 10.f4 or 10Rg1
10...Be7 11.Kh1 0–0 Black also decides to castle on the King side
12.Rg1 Kh8
Black plays a new move. Interestingly there is just one game before this move which went 12. ..c5 13.dxc5 Qc8 14.Nb5 Rd8 15.Qb3 Bxc5 16.Rac1 Bxe3 17.Qxe3 Qd7 18.Rxg7+ Kxg7 19.Qg5+ Kf8 20.Qxf6 Rac8
13.f4 c5
A good move!
14.dxc5 Qc8.
If 14...Qc7 or 14...Rc8 15.e5 Nfd5 16.Bxd5
15.e5 Nd7
If 15...Qc6+ 16.Rg2 Rad8 17.Qe2 Nfd5 18.Bb5 Qc7 19.Ne4 And if 15...Nfd5 16.Nxd5 exd5 17.Bb3 Bxc5 18.Rc1 b6 19.Qf3
16.Ne4 b6
If 16...Nxc5 17.Nd6 Qc6+ 18.Rg2 Bxd6 19.exd6
17.Qh5. Taking an aggressive stance. The queen here is almost unchallenged and if White can get the other pieces into attack then Black is in grave danger.
17...Qb7 Black has to try and get a counter attack going! If 17...Nxc5 18.Bxc5 bxc5 (18...Bxc5 19.Rxg7! Kxg7 20.Qg5+ Kh8 21.Qf6+ Kg8 22.Rg1 checkmate) 19.Rg3
18.f3
Diagram 1
18. ..Nc2
This is one of the most tempting move to make but on hindsight this is a tactical blunder and virtually shuts Black out of the game.
Better is 18...g6 19.Qh6 Nc2 20.Rg3 19.Rxg7.
White does not waste any time and immediately sacrifices the rook to open up the gates towards Black King. Things are difficult for Black now.
19...Kxg7 Black has no choice but to accept the offered rook
20.Nf6. The f7-pawn is blocked and Black is defenceless against Bd3 with mate to follow.
20...Nxf6. Once again he hardly has any choice as 20...Bxf6 also does not help as 21.Rg1+ Kh8 22.Bd3 Qxf3+ 23.Qxf3 Nxe3 24.Bxh7 21.exf6+ Bxf6 22.Rg1+
Now each and every piece that White has on board has joined the attack
22. ..Kh8. The moves so far have been forced on Black
23.Bd3.
Putting the nail in the coffin!
Black has no defence at this disposal and preferred to resign rather than prolong the agony with 23.Bd3 Qxf3+ 24.Qxf3 Nxe3 25.Bxh7 with quick checkmate.1–0
Diagram 2
White to play and win
1.Rf8 Rxf8
If 1...Rxe5 2.Rxh8 h6 3.Rxb7 Rxe4 4.Rxa7
2.Rxh7 checkmate
