Tactic 0097

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "sputnick"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1r3rk1/2n2qpp/p2R1p2/2p2N2/2p1PQ2/7P/P4PPK/B7 w - - 0 30"]

{White to move, black just played Qf7. }
{Second best is Rc6 (2.34) best is Rxf6 (5.13) }
1. Rxf6 gxf6 {Qd7 leads to mate, starting with Nh6+. }
2. Nh6+ Kg7
3. Nxf7 Rxf7
4. Bxf6+ Kf8 {If Rxf6, then Qxc7+ picks up the other rook. }
*

Tactic 0096

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "bjalyska"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "q4rk1/1bp1bppp/3p1n2/1pnPp3/4P3/1BP2N1P/1PQ2PP1/1NB1R1K1 b - - 0 15"]

{Black to move, white just played Qc2. }
{There are two good moves in this position, }
{give yourself credit for either one. }
{Second best is Nxb3 (-2.21), best is Nfxe4 (-2.45) }
1... Nfxe4 {If Nxb3: }
(1... Nxb3
2. Qxb3 Nxe4
3. Qxb5 {If Rxe4, then Bxd5. }
3... Bxd5
4. Qe2 Qb7
)
2. Rxe4 Nxb3
3. Bg5 {If Qxb3, then Bxd5. }
3... Na1
4. Qe2 Bxg5
5. Nxg5 Bxd5
*

Tactic 0095

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "austenclarke"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3r3r/1kp2ppp/p2b4/3Pq3/Nn6/PQ2B1PP/1P3P2/R4RK1 b - - 0 20"]

{Black to move, white just played g3. }
{Second best is Rb8 (7.07), best is Qxd5 (0.62) }
1... Qxd5 {Forcibly unpins the knight: }
{If Qxd5, then Nxd5, and the queen can't be protected }
{where it is, so it has to move. }
2. Qc3 Nc6
3. Rfd1 Qe5
*

Tactic 0094

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "nascar1"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1bqkb1r/2p1pppp/p1n5/1p1n4/3P4/2NBP3/PPQ2PPP/R1B1K1NR w KQkq - 0 8"]

{White to move, black just played Nd5. }
{Second best is a3 (1.28), best is Nxd5 (3.82) }
1. Nxd5 Bb7 {If Qxd5, then: }
(1... Qxd5
2. Be4 Nb4
3. Qb1 Qc4
4. b3 Nc2+
5. Qxc2 Qxc2
6. Bxc2
)
2. Be4 Qd6
3. a3
*

Tactic 0093

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "HarrisonB"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2r3k1/4R1pp/1n6/p5P1/4P3/2p2B2/r6P/2R3K1 w - - 0 30"]

{White to move, black just played Nb6. }
{Second best is g6 (-0.49), best is Bg4 (3.08) }
1. Bg4 {Threatens to take the rook on c8, and also Be6+, }
{winning the rook on a2. }
1... Rc6 {Guarding against both threats. }
2. Rf1 {Threatens Re8#! }
2... g6
3. Re6! Rc7 {Can't take the rook on e6, because of Bxe6+, again. }
4. Re8+ {White could just take the knight here, but this }
{line is better. }
4... Kg7
5. Be6 h6 {Mate was threatened, again. }
6. Bxa2
*

Tactic 0092

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "hardcase"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2qr1k1/3bbpp1/7p/1pnPN3/2p1B3/P6P/1P3PP1/R1BQR1K1 w - - 0 23"]

{White to move, black just played Re8. }
{Second best is d6 (0.96), best is Qh5 (2.61) }
1. Qh5 {d6 is a double attack, but by first playing Qh5, }
{it becomes more effective. For example: }
(1. d6 Bf6
2. Nxf7 {The knight is lost in any case, since: }
(2. Bxa8 Rxe5
3. Rxe5 Bxe5
4. Qf3 Be6
)
2... Kxf7
3. Qh5+ Kf8
4. Qxc5 Re5
)
1... Rf8
2. d6 Bxd6
3. Bxa8 Bxe5
4. Rxe5 Nb3
*

Tactic 0091

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "etturN"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r2q1rk1/2pnbpp1/4p2p/p1NbP3/Pp1P4/3B1N2/1PR1QPPP/5RK1 b - - 0 17"]

{Black to move, white just played Rc2. }
{Second best is Bxf3 (-0.15), best is Bxc5 (-1.45) }
1... Bxc5
2. dxc5 Bxf3
3. gxf3 {Trying to hold the e pawn. }
3... Qg5+
4. Kh1 Nxe5 {But it is lost, anyway. }
5. Rg1 Qf4
6. Be4 Rad8
*

Tactic 0090

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "CraftyOne"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rn2k1nr/pp3pp1/4p2p/q1bpPb2/5P2/2N1BN2/PPP3PP/R2QKB1R w KQkq - 0 9"]

{White to move, black just played Bxc5. }
{Second best is Bxc5 (0.73), best is Bb5+ (4.41) }
1. Bb5+! Nc6
2. Bxc5 {OK, that was easy, but it is an unusual type of tactic, }
{and we both missed in during the game. }
*

Tactic 0089

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "edison-d"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b2rk1/pp2bppp/1q2p3/3nB3/2B5/2N5/PP2QPPP/R2R2K1 w - - 0 14"]

{White to move, black just played Nd5. }
{Second best is Rxd5 (2.71), best is Bxd5 (3.68) }
1. Bxd5 Bd7 {If exd5, then: }
(1... exd5
2. Nxd5 Qe6 {If Qc5, then Rac1. }
{If Qd8, then Nc7. }
3. Nc7 Qg4
4. f3 Bc5+
5. Kh1 Qg5
6. Nxa8
)
2. Qg4 g6
3. Bf3
*

Tactic 0088

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "paxvobiscum"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rnbq1rk1/pp2npbp/3pp1p1/2p5/2B1P3/P1NPBN1P/1PP2PP1/R2QK2R b KQ - 0 8"]

{Black to move, white just played Be3. }
{Second best is Nbc6 (-0.34), best is d5 (-1.94) }
1... d5
2. Bxd5 {If the bishop moves away, then d4 forks the bishop and knight. }
2... exd5
3. Bxc5 Qc7
4. Bxe7 Bxc3+
5. bxc3 Qxe7
*