<p>However it is equally important to evade the moves which might appear natural or benign but in reality could be termed as a losing move.<br /><br />In the game which follows, Black is in a very good position to sight victory for a long time but fritters away his advantage and unfortunately plays what can be called the losing move on the 46th turn.<br /><br />White: Manuel Apicella (2501) – Black: Emmanuel Bricard (2506)<br />Besancon, 1999<br /><br />French Defence<br /><br />1.e4 e6 <br />The French Defence<br />2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0–0 10.0–0–0 <br />Following book theory till now but things can get interesting as players have castled on opposite flanks<br />10. ..a6 11.h4 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.h5 <br />The pawns have started advancing on opposite flanks <br />13. ..b4 14.Ne2 a5 15.Kb1<br />Getting out of the diagonal. If 15.h6 g6 16.Ng1 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 <br />15...a4 <br />Black’s pawns have advanced quite bit. If 15...Ba6 16.h6 g6 17.Rh3 a4 <br />16.Nc1 <br />If 16.Rh3 Ba6 17.Bf2 Qe7 18.Nd4 Na5 19.Nb5 Rab8 20.Nd6 Bxf1 21.Rxf1<br />16...Ba6 17.g4 Qc7 18.Rh2 Rfc8 <br />Getting the pieces into position for an attack<br />19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.h6 <br />White is also testing Black’s defence<br />20. ..g6 Black is in a good position<br />21.Re1 b3<br />Sacrificing the pawn as the White King looks vulnerable and Black’s pieces are in good position. However Black also had a couple of good moves in 21. ..Qa5 and 21. ..Nxd4<br />22.cxb3 <br />If 22.axb3 Nxd4 23.Qxd4 axb3 24.Nxb3 Rca8 22...axb3 23.Nxb3 Rca8 <br />Doubling the rooks to pose more problems for White<br />24.Nc1 Nxd4 25.Qxd4 Ra4 26.Qd2<br />If 26.Qe3 Qa5 27.Rd2 Nc5<br />26...Nc5 27.Rhe2 Ne4 28.Qd3 Qa5 29.Rxe4<br />White decides to sacrifice the rook for this central knight <br />29. ..dxe4 30.Rxe4 Rxa2<br />Black returns the favour by sacrificing his rook for the knight. If 30...Rxe4 31.Qxe4 Rc8 32.a3 Qd2 is also better for Black <br />31.Nxa2 Qxa2+ 32.Kc2 Rc8+ <br />The White King is out in the open and Black’s attack is looking good<br />33.Kd1 Qa1+ 34.Ke2 Qxb2+ 35.Kf1 g5<br />Worth a look is 35...Qc1+ 36.Kg2 Rc2+ 37.Re2 Rxe2+ 38.Qxe2 Qxf4 39.Qd1 Qxh6 40.Qd8+ Qf8 and Black can keep up the pressure <br />36.Re2 If 36.Qf3 Qd2 37.Rc4 Rb8 38.Qe2 <br />36...Qc1+ 37.Kg2 gxf4 <br />If 37...Qxf4 38.Qf3 Qxf3+ 39.Kxf3 Rc3+ <br />38.Rd2 f3+ Black has frittered away his advantage and the position is equal now<br />If 38...Rf8 39.Qd8 f3+ 40.Kh2 Qb1 41.Qf6 Qg6 42.g5<br />39.Kf2 Qc7 40.Kxf3 Rf8 41.Qd4 Qb7+ 42.Kg3 Qe7 43.Rf2 Qg5 44.Qf4 Qxf4+<br />If 44...Qg6 45.Qf6<br />45.Rxf4 Ra8 46.Rb4 <br />Diagram 1<br />46. ..f6<br />Black finds the losing move! Black could have tried for a draw with 46...Kf8 47.Kf4 Ra7 48.Kg5 Ke7 49.Rb8 Rc7 50.Rh8 Rc5<br />47.exf6 Kf7 48.g5 Kg6 49.Rb5 Ra7 <br />If 49...Ra4 50.Kf3 Rc4 51.Ke3! Ra4 52.Rb8 Ra7 53.Rg8+<br />50.Rc5 Rb7 51.Ra5 Rb3+ 52.Kf4 Rb4+ 53.Ke3 Rb8 54.Kd4 Rb7 55.Kc5 Rd7 56.Kc6 Rd8 57.Rb5 Rd1 58.Rb8+- Rd5 59.Rg8+ Kf7 60.Rg7+ Kf8 61.Rxh7 Rxg5 62.Rg7 and Black resigned.<br />Diagram 2<br />Black to play and win<br />1... Rxf3 2.Qxe2 Rxf1 checkmate.<br /><br />Manisha Mohite</p>
<p>However it is equally important to evade the moves which might appear natural or benign but in reality could be termed as a losing move.<br /><br />In the game which follows, Black is in a very good position to sight victory for a long time but fritters away his advantage and unfortunately plays what can be called the losing move on the 46th turn.<br /><br />White: Manuel Apicella (2501) – Black: Emmanuel Bricard (2506)<br />Besancon, 1999<br /><br />French Defence<br /><br />1.e4 e6 <br />The French Defence<br />2.d4 d5 3.Nc3 Nf6 4.e5 Nfd7 5.f4 c5 6.Nf3 Nc6 7.Be3 cxd4 8.Nxd4 Bc5 9.Qd2 0–0 10.0–0–0 <br />Following book theory till now but things can get interesting as players have castled on opposite flanks<br />10. ..a6 11.h4 Bxd4 12.Bxd4 b5 13.h5 <br />The pawns have started advancing on opposite flanks <br />13. ..b4 14.Ne2 a5 15.Kb1<br />Getting out of the diagonal. If 15.h6 g6 16.Ng1 Nxd4 17.Qxd4 Ba6 18.Bxa6 Rxa6 <br />15...a4 <br />Black’s pawns have advanced quite bit. If 15...Ba6 16.h6 g6 17.Rh3 a4 <br />16.Nc1 <br />If 16.Rh3 Ba6 17.Bf2 Qe7 18.Nd4 Na5 19.Nb5 Rab8 20.Nd6 Bxf1 21.Rxf1<br />16...Ba6 17.g4 Qc7 18.Rh2 Rfc8 <br />Getting the pieces into position for an attack<br />19.Bxa6 Rxa6 20.h6 <br />White is also testing Black’s defence<br />20. ..g6 Black is in a good position<br />21.Re1 b3<br />Sacrificing the pawn as the White King looks vulnerable and Black’s pieces are in good position. However Black also had a couple of good moves in 21. ..Qa5 and 21. ..Nxd4<br />22.cxb3 <br />If 22.axb3 Nxd4 23.Qxd4 axb3 24.Nxb3 Rca8 22...axb3 23.Nxb3 Rca8 <br />Doubling the rooks to pose more problems for White<br />24.Nc1 Nxd4 25.Qxd4 Ra4 26.Qd2<br />If 26.Qe3 Qa5 27.Rd2 Nc5<br />26...Nc5 27.Rhe2 Ne4 28.Qd3 Qa5 29.Rxe4<br />White decides to sacrifice the rook for this central knight <br />29. ..dxe4 30.Rxe4 Rxa2<br />Black returns the favour by sacrificing his rook for the knight. If 30...Rxe4 31.Qxe4 Rc8 32.a3 Qd2 is also better for Black <br />31.Nxa2 Qxa2+ 32.Kc2 Rc8+ <br />The White King is out in the open and Black’s attack is looking good<br />33.Kd1 Qa1+ 34.Ke2 Qxb2+ 35.Kf1 g5<br />Worth a look is 35...Qc1+ 36.Kg2 Rc2+ 37.Re2 Rxe2+ 38.Qxe2 Qxf4 39.Qd1 Qxh6 40.Qd8+ Qf8 and Black can keep up the pressure <br />36.Re2 If 36.Qf3 Qd2 37.Rc4 Rb8 38.Qe2 <br />36...Qc1+ 37.Kg2 gxf4 <br />If 37...Qxf4 38.Qf3 Qxf3+ 39.Kxf3 Rc3+ <br />38.Rd2 f3+ Black has frittered away his advantage and the position is equal now<br />If 38...Rf8 39.Qd8 f3+ 40.Kh2 Qb1 41.Qf6 Qg6 42.g5<br />39.Kf2 Qc7 40.Kxf3 Rf8 41.Qd4 Qb7+ 42.Kg3 Qe7 43.Rf2 Qg5 44.Qf4 Qxf4+<br />If 44...Qg6 45.Qf6<br />45.Rxf4 Ra8 46.Rb4 <br />Diagram 1<br />46. ..f6<br />Black finds the losing move! Black could have tried for a draw with 46...Kf8 47.Kf4 Ra7 48.Kg5 Ke7 49.Rb8 Rc7 50.Rh8 Rc5<br />47.exf6 Kf7 48.g5 Kg6 49.Rb5 Ra7 <br />If 49...Ra4 50.Kf3 Rc4 51.Ke3! Ra4 52.Rb8 Ra7 53.Rg8+<br />50.Rc5 Rb7 51.Ra5 Rb3+ 52.Kf4 Rb4+ 53.Ke3 Rb8 54.Kd4 Rb7 55.Kc5 Rd7 56.Kc6 Rd8 57.Rb5 Rd1 58.Rb8+- Rd5 59.Rg8+ Kf7 60.Rg7+ Kf8 61.Rxh7 Rxg5 62.Rg7 and Black resigned.<br />Diagram 2<br />Black to play and win<br />1... Rxf3 2.Qxe2 Rxf1 checkmate.<br /><br />Manisha Mohite</p>
