A fine difference

by Oliver Reeh
1/27/2017 – Tactics can seem deceptively simple, particularly when seeing an engine analysing grandmaster games. Strange, however, how difficult it is to find the right move and to calculate variations properly when playing yourself. It is easier if you solve tactical puzzles regularly. In the ChessBase Magazine and his tactics column Oliver Reeh helps you to do so.
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Training Position
1.e4 c5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.d4 cxd4 4.Nxd4 e6 5.Nc3 Qc7 6.Be3 a6 7.Qf3 Nf6 8.0-0-0 Ne5 9.Qg3 b5 10.f4 Neg4 11.Bd2 Qa7 12.e5 Qxd4 13.exf6 Nxf6 14.Be3 Qb4 15.f5 Bb7 16.Qc7 Bc6 17.a3 Qg4 18.Be2 Qxg2 19.fxe6 fxe6 20.Rhg1 Qh3 21.Rg3 Qxh2 22.Bg1 Qh4 23.Kb1 Be7 24.Rxg7 Rg8 25.Rxg8+ Nxg8 26.Qe5 Bf6 27.Bh5+ Kf8 28.Qc5+ Kg7 29.Bf2 Qf4 30.Rg1+ Kh8 31.Be2 Qe5 32.Qb4 a5 33.Qg4 b4 34.Nd1 Nh6 35.Qh3 Qxe2 36.Qxh6 Qe5 37.Rg4 Bg7 38.Qh4 Qf6 39.Qg3 Rf8 40.Bc5 Rg8 41.Rf4 Qd8 42.Rf7
One of the two moves below keeps Black's advantage, the other allows White to force a draw. What would you play? A) 42...Qe8 B) 42...Qb8 43.Bd6 Qe8
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Balcerak,P2372Johansson,G2210½–½2017B4846th Rilton Cup 2016-175.30

 

 

Oliver Reeh in ChessBase Magazine

Do you like these lessons? There are plenty more by tactic expert Oliver Reeh in ChessBase Magazine, where you will also find openings articles and surveys, endgames, and of course annotations by the world's top grandmasters.

Click to go to the ChessBase Magazine page

 

ChessBase Magazine #175 (December/January)

The editor’s top ten:

1. Mini repertoire against the King's Indian: Vladimir Kramnik annotates his surprise coup (with 6.b3) against Daniele Vocaturo
2. A big point for the USA: Olympiad winner Wesley So analyses his victory over Ian Nepomniachtchi.
3. Trends in the Benko Gambit: why does Black often delay the capture on a6? How should White react? GM Stohl brings you up to date!
4. "Move by Move": together with Simon Williams find out how the young Dutch player Benjamin Bok outplayed top GM Nakamura (interactive video)
5. "Premature Resignation": find out together with Oliver Reeh why in Amonatov-Hansen a last check of the position could have paid dividends.
6. 8 out of 10 and gold on board 1: Daniel King demonstrates one of Baadur Jobava's brilliancies from Baku (video).
7. The positional queen sacrifice: strategy expert Mihail Marin reveals why the sacrifice of the strongest piece is often the best practical solution.
8. Marches with kings: David Navara again discovers a fantastic king march – this time from g1 to h7 – and wins!
9. The Slav with 4.g3: let GM Vidit Santosh Gujrathi explain why big names like Gelfand and Grischuk play this side variation (video).
10. Hypermodern manoeuvre: let Pavel Eljanov show you how to optimise one’s piece play these days: Eljanov - Shirov
 

 

Oliver Reeh has been working for ChessBase for many years as a translator and presenter of the internet show TV ChessBase, and he also looks after the tactics column in ChessBase Magazine, for which he has also been responsible as editor-in-chief since 2019. The International Master has contributed to the CB "MasterClass" series and is the author of the DVDs "Strike like the World Champions" and "Master Class Tactics - Train your combination skills!" Volumes 1 & 2. Oliver Reeh lives in Hamburg.

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