Chess Crackers (November/December 2008)
More crackers to snack on! This month’s Olympiad edition brings fireworks. Botswana’s national champion Phemelo Khetho made quite an impression with his win over an IM from Indonesia, Sadikin Irwanto. He plays a slow and stodgy KIA, but builds up a lethal attack with a number of killer moves! Very difficult problem.
FM Phemelo Khetho – IM Sadikin Irwanto
2008 Chess Olympiad
White to Move (after 24…c5xd4)
More Chess Crackers!
You sure you weren’t following the game live? 😉
The line you picked was the game continuation, but Rad1 is not the best move. Black can also play Bxf1 instead of Nxf4 and hold the position. Phemelo missed a brilliancy prize, but Nf6+! is the right idea.
1. Nf6+ gf 2gf Kh8 3.Rh1 Bd3 3.Rad1 Qa6 4.Bf1 Nf4 5.Qh6 Rg8 6.Bd3 Qd3 7.Rd3 and Black cant capture the rook with the knight as he will lose instantly.
Black has to play 28…Nxf4! instead of 28…Qa6? What’s white killing move that prevents all of these attempts to hold? Here it is…
Instead of 25. Nf6+ gxf6 26. gxf6 Kh8 27.Rh1! Bd3 white plays 28.Qh6! (instead of 28.Rad1) After black plays 28…Rg8 (forced), then white plays 29.Qxh7+!!
Khetho-Irwanta (variation) after 29.Qxh7+!!
Black will end up in a mating net after 29…Kxh7 30.Kg1+ Nh4 31.Rxh4+ Kg6 and 32.g4! builds black’s tomb.
Khetho-Irwanta (variation) after 32.g4!
Beautiful. Khetho still finished nicely, but missed the best chance for a nice brilliancy, but Nf6+! is still the key. To have a chance to mate with a king discovered check and then a pawn is rare.
Sure I saw the game before, but its a good sign that I can recall the line from so many games at Dresden.
Bring in one more puzzle I will crack it. I enjoy solving them. but when I play the proper game I miss them a lot.
Thanks
This site is a must-see… someone has put a lot of work into this site of puzzles. You could spend days here. There are thousands more of Grandmasters from past and present. Excellent!
https://www.wtharvey.com/
Here is one Emory Tate’s positions. The Ashley position is instructive!
Emory Tate – Vasik Rajlich
White to move and win!
Georg Siegel – Maurice Ashley
Black to move and win!