Tactic 0184

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "carrotop"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/pp2ppbp/2np2p1/4n3/3NP3/1BN2P1P/PPP3P1/R1BQK2R b KQ - 0 11"]

{Black to move, white just played f3. }
{Second best is Qb6 (-0.49), best is Nxd4 (-4.07) }
1... Nxd4
2. h4 {If Qxd4, then Nxf3+ wins the queen. }
2... Qa5
3. Bd2 Nec6
4. h5 Nxb3
5. axb3 Qe5
*

Tactic 0183

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "Hanke"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/2p2ppp/p2b4/1p6/3P4/1BP4P/PP3nP1/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 15"]

{White to move, black just played Nxf2. }
{Second best is Qc2 (0.36), best is Qf3 (1.84) }
1. Qf3 {If Kxf2, then: }
(1. Kxf2 Qh4+
2. Kf1 Bxh3
3. Re3 Bg4
4. Qe1 Qh1+ {Draw by perpetual check: }
5. Kf2 Qh4+
6. Kg1 Qh2+
7. Kf1
)
1... Qh4
2. Qxf2 Bh2+
3. Kf1 Bg3
4. Qd2 Qf6+
5. Kg1 Bxe1
6. Qxe1
*

Tactic 0182

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "gberto1"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6k1/6r1/p7/2p4n/3pr3/1P6/P1PKN1R1/6R1 w - - 0 34"]

{White to move, black just played Rxg7. }
{Second best is Rg5 (1.24), best is Rxg7+ (1.52) }
1. Rxg7+ Nxg7
2. Rg5 {The c pawn can't be saved! }
2... Kf7
3. Rxc5
*

Tactic 0181

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "frakinyov"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/5p1p/p2p2pb/1pqP1P2/2p1P1P1/2N1NQ2/PP2B1P1/5R1K w - - 0 25"]

{White to move, black just played Bh6. }
{Second best is g5 (-1.89), best is fxg6 (0.09) }
1. fxg6 Rf8 {if fxg6 or hxg6, then Qf7+ wins the rook on e8. }
2. gxf7+ Kh8
3. g5 Bxg5
4. Nc2
*

Tactic 0180

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "Pawnscum"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2rqr1k1/1p1b1p2/p3pnpp/n3N3/P2PP3/B2Q4/2B2PPP/R4RK1 w - - 0 18"]

{White to move, black just played a6. }
{Second best is Rfb1 (2.46), best is Nxg6 (2.48) }
1. Nxg6 {Since Rfb1 is just as good, here is that line: }
(1. Rfb1 Bc6
2. Qf3 b5
3. Bc5 Nb7
4. Nxc6 Rxc6
5. axb5 axb5
6. e5
)
1... Rxc2 {Of course Nxg6 is more interesting. If fxg6, then: }
(1... fxg6
2. e5 Ne4 {Sacrifice the knight to get some protection for g6. }
3. Qxe4 Qg5
4. Qxg6+ Qxg6
5. Bxg6
)
2. Ne7+ Rxe7
3. Bxe7 Qxe7
4. Qxc2
*

Tactic 0179

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "metp"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "6n1/p2k4/1p1Pp3/6b1/2N3P1/5K2/2r2B2/3R4 w - - 0 35"]

{White to move, black just played Rxc2. }
{Second best is Be3 (-1.21), best is Ne5+ (2.69) }
1. Ne5+ Kd8 {If Kc8, then: }
(1... Kc8
2. d7+ Kb7 {If black tries to stop the pawn with Kc7, then: }
(2... Kc7
3. Nf7 Bd8
4. Bg3+ {Black loses the bishop, and the pawn queens }
{anyway. }
)
3. Nf7 Be7
4. d8Q Bxd8
5. Nxd8+ Kc8
6. Nxe6
)
2. Nf7+ Kd7
3. Nxg5
*

Tactic 0178

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "fanwink"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5b2/p5k1/1p2pN2/3pP1p1/3P1nP1/3R1N2/PP6/2rB2K1 w - - 0 35"]

{White to move, black just played Nf4. }
{Second best is Rd2 (0.78), best is Nh5+ (3.75) }
1. Nh5+ {Rd2 is met by Bb4, and the bishop on d1 is lost. }
1... Nxh5 {Better to eliminate the attacking knight. }
2. gxh5 Kh6
3. Nh2 Rb1
4. b3
*

Tactic 0177

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "dorsnorXL"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/2pR2bk/p1r3qp/1p6/5n2/1R5P/P5P1/5Q1K b - - 0 39"]

{Black to move, white just played Qf1. }
{Second best is Rc2 (-5.61), best is Rc1 (leads to mate). }
{There are many good moves here, including Nxg2, Nh5, and Qe4. }
{But Rc1 is clearly the strongest. }
1... Rc1!
2. Rxg7+ {Of course, if Qxc1, then Qxg2#. }
2... Qxg7
3. Kh2 {If Rb1, then Rxb1, and if Rb2, then Rxf1+. }
3... Rxf1
*

Tactic 0176

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "timurx"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2r2rk1/1p2bpp1/pq2p2p/1n1pP2P/3P2P1/1PPQ1N2/P3N2K/1R4R1 w - - 0 26"]

{White to move, black just played Nb5. }
{Second best is c4 (0.51), best is g5 (1.78) }
1. g5 Kh8 {If hxg5, then: }
(1... hxg5
2. Nxg5 Bxg5
3. Rxg5 Kh8
4. Rbg1 Nd6
5. exd6 Qxd6+
6. R1g3 Rg8
7. Qf3
)
2. gxh6 gxh6
3. c4 Na3
4. Qe3 Kh7
5. Rbc1
*

Tactic 0175

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "Tharmax"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "8/PR6/4p3/1P2k3/5pp1/2P2P2/r5PK/8 b - - 0 45"]

{Black to move, white just played Kh2. }
{Second best is Kd5 (6.82), best is gxf3 (0.00) }
1... gxf3 {After this, white has several replies, but they }
{all seem to end in a draw. For example: }
2. a8Q
(2. Rb6 Rxa7
3. gxf3 Rc7
4. Rc6 Rxc6
5. bxc6 Kd6
6. Kh3 Kxc6
)
(2. Kg1 fxg2
3. b6 f3
4. Rg7 Ra1+
5. Kf2 Kf4
6. Rxg2 Ra2+ {Perpetual check follows. }
)
2... Rxa8
3. gxf3 Rc8
4. Rh7 Rxc3
5. b6 Rb3
*