Tactic 0035

[Event "Kolty Eagles"]
[White "Jim Bennett"]
[Black "Antonio Rabadan"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2b5/pkp1r3/1p2p3/2qnN3/2Bn4/P2Q4/2P3PP/4RR1K w - - 0 29"]

{White to move, black just played Nd5. }
{Second best is Ng6 (5.64), best is Ba6+ (mate in 9) }
1. Ba6+ Ka8
2. Rf8 Re8
3. Rxe8 Ne7
4. Bxc8
*

Tactic 0034

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "Fradley"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1n3rk1/p4pp1/7p/3Q4/2Nb4/1PPP2PK/P4q1P/RN6 b - - 0 21"]

{Black to move, white just played c3. }
{Second best is Qe1 or Qg1 (0.00), best is Qf1+ (-1.24). }
{Retreating the bishop with Bf6, for example, is not good because }
{it gives white time to play Nbd2, and then white is winning. }
1... Qf1+
2. Qg2 {Forced, as Kg4 and Kh4 both lose. }
(2. Kg4 Nd7 {If Kh4, start with Bf6+. }
3. Nbd2 {Notice that the Queen can't take the knight on d7, because }
{that would unpin the f pawn and then f5+ is deadly. }
3... Nf6+
4. Kh4 g5+
5. Qxg5+ hxg5+
6. Kxg5 Qxa1 {Game over dude! }
)
2... Qd1
3. Qd5 {If cxd4, then Qh5# }
3... Bxc3
4. Ne3 Qg1
5. Nxc3 Qxa1
*

Tactic 0033

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "HeIsLord"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1k1nr/pp1p1ppp/1q2p3/8/2P1P3/8/Pb1NQPPP/R1B1KB1R w KQkq - 0 10"]

{White to move, black just played Bxb2. }
{Second best is Rb1 (1.13), best is c5 (3.18) }
1. c5
(1. Rb1 {Rb1 doesn't win the bishop, because ... }
1... Bxc1
2. Rxb6 axb6
3. Qd1 {black can get bishop and rook for the queen. }
)
1... Qxc5 {If Qb4, then Rb1 wins the bishop. }
2. Bxb2 Nf6
3. e5 Nd5
4. Rc1 Qa5
5. Qb5
*

Tactic 0032

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "H2O"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3r1r2/ppp3k1/3pqbnp/4p2Q/2P1Np2/3B3P/PP3PPK/R4R2 w - - 0 24"]

{White to move, black just played Kg7. }
{Second best is Nxd6 (-0.30), best is Nc5 (1.37) }
1. Nc5 {Threatens knight takes queen, and mate in 2. }
1... Qf7
2. Ne6+ {The queen can't take the knight, because the }
{mate threat is still there. }
2... Kh7
3. Rfd1 Rg8
4. Nxd8 Rxd8
5. Be4
*

Tactic 0031

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "Fradley"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rn3rk1/pQ3pp1/4bn1p/2b3q1/2N5/1P1P2P1/PBP2P1P/RN2R1K1 w - - 0 15"]

{White to move, black just castled. }
{Second best is Re5 (0.52), best is Rxe6 (1.02). }
{The move to avoid is Qxa8, because of Bd5. }
1. Rxe6
(1. Re5 Bxf2+ {I think this continuation is interesting, too. }
2. Kg2 Bd5+
3. Qxd5 Nxd5
4. Rxg5 hxg5
5. Kxf2
)
1... Bxf2+
2. Kg2 fxe6
3. Qxa8
*

Tactic 0030

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "H2O"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2r2k1/1p2ppnp/6p1/p1PNqb2/1PP5/2Q5/P3BPPP/R3K2R b KQ - 0 17"]

{Black to move, white just played Qc3. }
{Second best is Qxc3+ (-0.98), best is Rxd5 (-5.04) }
1... Rxd5
2. Qxe5 Rxe5
*

Tactic 0029

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "col61"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4r1k1/1b1qr1pp/p7/2Np4/2pB4/P1P4Q/6PP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 26"]

{Black to move, white just played Nc5. }
{Second best is Qxh3 (2.64), best is Rxe1+ (-4.08) }
1... Rxe1+ {If Qxh3, then white has Rxe7!, e.g. }
(1... Qxh3
2. Rxe7 Qxg2+ {If black tries to hold onto material with }
{Qh5 or Qc8, then Rxg7+ leads to mate. }
3. Kxg2 Rxe7
4. Rb1 {White is up a knight and has pressure. }
)
2. Rxe1 Rxe1+
3. Kf2 Qxh3
3. gxh3 Re7
*

Tactic 0028

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "redstarchampion"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2kr1b1r/ppp1p1pp/5p2/8/2B5/2N1B1P1/PP1n1PKP/1R6 w - - 0 19"]

{White to move, black just played Nd2. }
{Second best is Bxd2 (-3.84) best is Be6+ (0.93) }
1. Be6+ Kb8
2. Rd1
*

Tactic 0027

[Event "Kolty Eagles"]
[White "Bruce Matzner"]
[Black "Jim Bennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/ppN2pbp/2n2np1/3pN3/3P1B2/7P/PPP1PPP1/R2QKB1R b KQ - 0 8"]

{Black to move, white just played Nxe5. }
{Second best is Nh5 (0.75), best is Qxc7 (-0.43) }
1... Qxc7
2. Nxg6 Qb6 {Black gets 2 knights for the rook, }
3. Nxf8 Bxf8 {and either the d4 pawn or the b2 pawn. }
4. e3 Qxb2
5. Bd3 Bb4+ {And white's king won't get to castle in this line. }
6. Kf1 {I have to say, however, that this looks like a }
{position that only a computer could love. }
*

Tactic 0026

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "smittie"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/5ppk/p7/P7/3p3Q/3bqP1P/2p3P1/R6K b - - 0 38"]

{Black to move, white just played Qh4+. }
{Second best is Qh6 (-0.53) best is Kg6 (-3.64). }
{Qh6 stops the checks, but after 1. Qxh6+ Kxh6 2. Kg1, }
{white's king is close enough to stop the pawns. }
1... Kg6
2. Kh2 {Going for the perpetual check doesn't work: }
(2. Qg4+ Kf6
3. Qh4+ g5
4. Qh8+ Ke7 {and there are no more checks}
)
2... Bf5
3. Qg3+ Kh5
4. Re1 c1Q
5. Rxc1 Qxc1
*

Tactic 0025

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "redstarchampion"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r3kb1r/ppp1p1pp/5pqn/8/3P4/2N2NPQ/PPn1BP1P/1RB3K1 w kq - 0 12"]

{White to move, black just played Nh6. }
{Second best is Ne1 (1.55), threatening both Nxc2 and Bh5, }
{but best is Bxh6 (2.46). }
{The flashy Ne5, which was played, doesn't work as well as Ne1, }
{since black can play Qf5. }
1. Bxh6! Qxh6 {If 1... gxh6, then 2. Rd1, threatening Bd3 winning }
{the knight. If 2... Nb4 to save the knight, then Ne5 wins: }
(1... gxh6
2. Rd1 Nb4
3. Ne5 fxe5 {to stop Qd7# }
4. Bh5 )
2. Qf5 c6 {The knight's only move is Nb4, when Qb5+ wins it anyway }
3. Qxc2
*

Tactic 0024

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "zague"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2k1r3/p1p1p2p/4Rbp1/5p2/8/2N3P1/Pr3P1P/4R1K1 w - - 0 24"]

{White to move, black just played Rxb2. }
{Second best is Nb5 (-2.37) best is Rxf6 (1.81) }
1. Rxf6 exf6
2. Rxe8+ Kd7
3. Ra8
*

Tactic 0023

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "redstarchampion"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3R4/1p6/p7/8/2K5/2P5/P4p2/4k3 w - - 0 51"]

{White to move, black just played f2. }
{Second best is Rf8 (0.30) best is Re8+ (5.69) }
{Rf8 leads to a draw, but white can gain a tempo and win with Re8+ }
1. Re8+ Kd2
2. Rf8 Ke2
3. Kc5 f1=Q
4. Rxf1 Kxf1
5. a4 Ke2
6. Kb6 Kd3
7. Kxb7 Kxc3
8. Kxa6 Kb4
9. a5 Kc5
10. Kb7
*

Tactic 0022

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "redstarchampion"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1kbnr/ppp1pppp/2n3q1/8/8/2N2N2/PPPPBPPP/R1BQK2R w KQkq - 0 6"]

{White to move, black just played Qg6 }
{Second best is d4 (0.95) best is Nb5 (1.97) }
1. Nb5! Kd8
2. d4 Bg4 {If 2... Qxg2, then Rg1 followed by Bf4 }
3. Bf4 Qf5 {If 3... Rc8, then Ne5! }
4. Bxc7+ Kc8
5. c4 Bxf3
6. Bxf3 Qe6+
7. Be2 Qe4
8. O-O {Notice how white, starting with a move that }
{seems to violate opening principles, uses threats }
{to complete his development. }
*

Tactic 0021

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "WJC"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2q1rk1/pp1bp1bp/2n3pB/3p3n/P2P4/2NB1N1P/1P1Q1PP1/R4RK1 b - - 0 15"]

{Black to move, white just played Bh6. }
{Second best is Bxh3 (-0.13) and best is Rxf3 (-1.33). }
{It also works if you play Bxh6 before Rxf3. }
1... Rxf3
2. gxf3 Bxh3
3. Bxg7 {Notice that if white moves the rook on f1, then black }
{can play Nxd4, which threatens both Nb3, forking }
{queen and rook, and Nf3+ forking queen and king. }
3... Bxf1
4. Bh6 Bxd3
5. Qxd3 e6
*

Tactic 0020

[Event "Kolty Eagles"]
[White "Jan De Jong"]
[Black "Jim Bennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5rk1/p6p/1p5R/5pBq/2bp4/P1P5/3Q1PPP/6K1 b - - 0 29"]

{Black to move, white just played Rh6. }
{Second best is Qe2 (1.09) or Qe8 (1.30) }
{Best is dxc3 (-1.25) }
1... dxc3
2. Qd7 {Rxh5 doesn't work because: }
(2. Rxh5 cxd2
3. Bxd2 Rd8 {White must give up the Bishop or be mated. }
)
2... Qf7
3. Qd6 c2
4. Qd2 Bb3
5. Bf6
*

Tactic 0019

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "RflctnOfU"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/2b3R1/ppk5/5p2/4nP2/6PP/PPP5/2K5 b - - 0 31"]

{Black to move, white just played Kc1. }
{Second best is Bd6 (1.50) best is Nxg3 (-0.93) }
1... Nxg3!
2. Rg6+ {If Rxg3, then Bxf4+ wins the rook }
2... Kc5
3. Kd2 Bxf4+
4. Kd3
*