Tactic 0018

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "MikeyCez"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "4rk1r/p3qpb1/1p3np1/2p1n2p/P2NPQ2/BP1P1B2/2P3PP/R4RK1 b - - 0 21"]

{Black to move, white just played Nxd4 }
{Second best is Nxd3 (0.40) best is Bh6 (-1.82) }
1... Bh6!
2. Ne6+ Qxe6 {The knight is history anyway, since if the queen moves, }
{Be3+ wins the knight. }
3. Qh4 Be3+
4. Kh1 Bd4
*

Tactic 0017

[Event "Kolty Eagles"]
[White "Jan De Jong"]
[Black "Jim Bennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r4rk1/p6p/1p2p2q/3pnpB1/2b5/P1P4N/3Q1PPP/R3R1K1 b - - 0 24"]

{Black to move, white just played Bxg5. }
{There are three playable moves here to deal with the double attack }
{against the queen and the knight. }
{Can you find all of them? }
{Third best is Qxh3 (0.14), although it has dramatic appeal. }
{Second best is Qg7 (0.05) logically moving the queen out of take }
{and simultaneously defending the knight. }
{Best is Nf3+ (-0.78) }
1... Nf3+
2. gxf3 Qxh3
3. Rxe6 Rae8
4. Rxe8 Rxe8
*

Tactic 0016

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "JCHallman"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "5r2/1R3pkp/3qp1p1/8/4Q3/2n5/5PPP/1R4K1 w - - 0 29"]

{White to move, black just played Nc3. }
{Second best is Qf3 (-1.01) best is Qb4 (0.54) }
1. Qb4 Qe5 {To escape a fork, move one of the pieces with a threat. }
{This only works because black's queen is undefended. }
2. Rf1
*

Tactic 0015

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "dagsy"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "1R6/R5bp/1p2rkp1/p3pp2/2P5/1P4P1/P1n2P1P/5K2 w - - 0 40"]

{White to move, black just played Kf6. }
{Second best is c5 (0.99) best is Rg8 (2.52) }
1. Rg8! e4 {Black has to surrender the bishop. }
{If Bh6, then after Rxh7 he has to }
{give up the bishop to avoid mate. }
(1... Bh6
2. Rxh7 Bd2 {Black should give up the bishop here too. }
{If Bg5, then Rf8#}
3. Rf8+ Kg5 {But mate is forced anyway }
4. f3 {A key move to prevent the King from escaping }
4... Ne3+
5. Kg1 Ng2
6. Kxg2 e4
7. h4# )
2. Rgxg7 Nb4
3. a3 Nc2
4. Rxh7 Nxa3
5. Rhf7+
*

Tactic 0014

[Event "Kolty Eagles"]
[White "Jim Bennett"]
[Black "Ray Fergerson"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "2R1rbk1/5ppp/3p4/1q1n4/p3P3/B3Q2P/5PP1/2R3K1 w - - 0 33"]

{White to move, black just played Nxd5 }
{Second best is Qd2 (1.88) best is Qg5 (6.27) }
1. Qg5 f6 {The knight can't move because of the pin }
2. Qxd5+ Qxd5
3. exd5 Kf7
4. Rxe8 Kxe8
5. Rc8+ Ke7
6. Ra8
*

Tactic 0013

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "whisky1"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r1b1r1k1/pp1n1ppp/2p2n2/q2pN3/3P1B2/2PB1Q2/P1P1RPPP/4R1K1 w - - 0 17"]

{White to move, black just played Qa5 }
{Second best is Qg3 (1.93) best is Nxf7 (4.10) }
{There are a number of comparable second best moves, }
{including Bg5, a3, and h3. }
{Notice that if black follows up with Qxc3, }
{then Bxh7+ wins the queen. }
1. Nxf7 Re4 {If Kxf7, then Rxe8 and black is in trouble. }
{Notice that Nxe8 is met by Bc7+, winning the queen. }
2. Nd6 {If Bxe4, then dxe4 followed by Kxf7, }
{and black has two pieces for the rook. }
2... Nc5 {If Rxe2, then Qxe2, and mate is threatened on e8 }
{Nc5 makes room for the defensive maneuver Bd7 }
3. Nxc8 Rxe2
4. Rxe2 Rxc8
5. dxc5 Qxa2
6. Re1
*

Tactic 0012

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "Anania"]
[Black "jbennett"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3r1qk1/1b5p/pp2ppp1/2n5/2P5/P3R1PQ/1BBr1P1P/2R3K1 b - - 0 28"]

{Black to move, white just played g3 }
{Second best is Qd6 (-2.94) best is Rxc2 (-6.59) }
1... Rxc2!
2. Rxc2 Rd1+
3. Qf1 Rxf1+
4. Kxf1
*

Tactic 0011

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "checkeredflag"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "r5k1/ppp1q1pn/4b2p/4N3/4P3/3P2P1/PP4BP/R1Q2rK1 w - - 0 19"]

{White to move, black just played Rxf1+ }
{Second best is Kxf1 (0.00) best is Bxf1 (0.92) }
{This is sort of an anti-tactic. }
{The main point is not to play Qxf1?, because then black has Qc5+, winning the knight. }
1.Bxf1 c5 {If Bxa2, exploiting the discovered attack, then Ng6 is strong: }
(1... Bxa2
2. Ng6 Qf7
3. Rxa2 Qxg6 {Qxa2 isn't good because then d4 threatens Bc4+, }
{which not only forks King and Queen, but also leads to mate. }
4. Qxc7
)
2.Qc3 Qd6
3.Bg2 Rf8
4.Nf3 Ng5
5.Nxg5 hxg5
6.e5
*

Tactic 0010

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "Xterminater"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "3rk2r/p3b1pp/q1p1Pp2/8/2p5/1nB1PQ2/2B2PPP/1R3RK1 w k - 0 20"]

{White to move, black just played f6 }
{Second best is Rxb3 (4.94) best is Qh5+ (mate in four) }
1.Qh5+ g6
2.Bxg6+ hxg6
3.Qxg6+ Kf8
4.Qf7#
*

Tactic 0009

[Event "ICC Blitz"]
[White "jbennett"]
[Black "RunkaDunka"]
[Result "*"]
[Annotator "JB"]
[SetUp "1"]
[FEN "rn5r/p1p2kp1/1p1p3p/5B2/2PP1N2/2P2K2/P6P/6R1 w - - 0 23"]

{White to move, black just played Kf7. }
{Second best is Bg6+ (1.29) best is Be6+ (2.58) }
1.Be6+ Ke8 {If Kf8, then Ng6+ wins the rook. }
{If Kf6, then Rg6+ forces Ke7. }
{If Ke7, then Rxg7+ is strong, for example: }
(1...Ke7 2. Rxg7+ Ke8 3. Ng6 Rf8+ 4. Nxf8 Kxf8
5. Rg8+ Ke7 6. Bd5 c6 7. Bxc6 Nxc6 8. Rxa8 )
2.Rxg7 {Threatening Ng6}
2...Rf8
3.Kg3 Rxf4
4.Kxf4 c6
5.Rh7
*