Master Moves #14
All the deepest plans or endgame technique are useless if you fall victim to a shot that leaves you in a lost position. Likewise, sometimes that superior play will only offer a single window of opportunity to deliver that final blow, so it is vital to be ready for it when it does.
All the positions below are from the women's and absolute sections of the 2011 Russian Championship - Higher League, qualifying for the Russian Championship Super Final later this year.
Position 1 - Stukopin-Chadaev
Black to play and win.
Position 2 - Tomilova-Zaiatz
Black to play and win.
Position 3 - Savchenko-Goganov
White to play and win.
Position 4 - Romanko-Zaiatz
It sometimes pays to not go all the way. Black to play and win.
Position 5 - Severiukhina-Severina
White to play and win.
Position 6 - Polschikov-Airapetian
It is more than clever, it is winning. Black to play and win.
Position 7 - Drozdova-Bukhteeva
Black to play and win.
Position 8 - Galkin-Alekseev
The key is in the closure. White to play and win.
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