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
*