A satisfying win; a tactical shot

One of the most satisfying wins I've had in a while; not because of any amazing mating combination, but because I was able to positionally clamp down on black's position throughout the game.



[Event "rated blitz match"]
[Site "Free Internet Chess Server"]
[Date "2009.05.08"]
[Round "?"]
[White "waparker"]
[Black "Blogjam"]
[Result "1-0"]
[WhiteElo "1168"]
[BlackElo "1129"]
[ECO "D10"]
[TimeControl "600"]

1. d4 d5 2. c4 c6 3. Nc3 Nf6 4. Nf3 e6 5. Bg5 dxc4 6. e4 Be7 7. Bxc4 Nbd7 8.
O-O O-O 9. Rc1 b5 10. Bb3 b4 11. Bxf6 Bxf6 12. Na4 Ba6 13. Re1 Qc7 14. e5 Be7
15. Nc5 Bxc5 16. dxc5 Bb5 17. Qc2 Rad8 18. Ng5 g6 19. f4 h6?
{Rybka 2.2 (score 4.22 at depth 13) thinks this is not a good move}
({Rybka 2.2 suggests:} 19. ... a5 20. Ne4 +/= {(score 0.61 at depth 10)} )

20. Ne4
{Rybka 2.2 (score 0.83 at depth 10) thinks a good move has been missed}
({Rybka 2.2 suggests:} 20. Nxe6 Bd3 21. Qxd3 Nxc5 22. Rxc5 fxe6 23. Qxg6+ Kh8
24. Qxh6+ Qh7 25. Qxh7+ Kxh7 26. Bxe6 Rxf4 +- {(score 4.22 at depth 13)} )

Kg7 21. Rcd1 Rfe8 22. Re3 Nf8 23. Nd6 Re7 24. Rg3 f6 25. exf6+ Kxf6 26. a4
Ba6 27. Qe4 Qd7?? {This offers a mate in 1 to the opponent}
({Rybka 2.2 suggests:} 27. ... Kg7 28. f5 g5 29. f6+ Kxf6 30. Qd4+ e5 31. Ne4+ {(score 3.28 at depth 10)} )

28. Qe5# {Blogjam checkmated} 1-0

From a different game, a tactical puzzle. Black to move and win material. White has just played Bh6.

1 ...f5! Black covers the g7 square with his Queen and simultaneously attacks White's queen, which must protect the rook on e2 as well as pin the g-pawn so that it cannot take the bishop on h6. If 2. Rxe8+ Rxe8 as was played in the game, 3. Qd1 must be played to prevent ...Re8#, losing the bishop. The best line for white is 2. Qh5 Rxe2 3. Qxe2 gxh6 4. Qe6+ Kg7 5. Qxf5 Bh2+ 6. Kh1 (6. Kf1 Qc4+ leads to mate)

Click to show/hide solution.