Tactics (20)

Position from the game Meier, G. - Acs (Paks 2009). This position also arose in Werle - Macieja (Bundesliga 2008) where White continued with 21.Nb3 and the game ended with a draw (36.). Meier found an improvement that was winning on the spot.

Solution (diff. ●●●●●): 21.Nxe6!! fxe6 22.Rxc5 Rxc5 (22.- Qxc5 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qxf6+ Ke8 25.Qe6+ Kf8 26.Rd1! This position is hard to understand. White is a rook down but Black cannot coordinate his forces. It is probable that Meier found the variation in home analysis with the computer. 26.- Qc6 27.Rd6! and now White is winning material back +-) 23.Qxe6+ Kf8 (23.- Kd8 24.Rd1+ Kc7 25.Rd7+ Kb8 26.Qb6!! the only move that is winning here) 24.Rd1 Kg7 25.h4!! Qg6 (25.- Qe5 26.Rd7+ Kh8 27.Qf7 Rxg3+ 28.Kf1!! +-) 26.Qe7+ Kh6 27.Qxc5 Qxe4 28.Rd6 and White was winning with the extra pawn and due to the exposed position of the black king (39.)

Two loose pieces drop off

There was a nice example of John Nunn's dictum "loose pieces drop off" yesterday in the German Championship. As you can see in the diagram with White to move there are both black rooks being "loose" (= not protected). A nice chance for White to search for some smart move. This happened with 25.Qd3! and White forked both rooks. Black resigned in Buhmann - Meier (Saarbrucken 2009).