GameKnot: Comments - Chess Tactics #81376

CHESS TACTICS #81376

Problem's rating:	1570
Avg. time to solve:	01:05
Total attempts:	225
Solved percentage:	72.0%

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gru1
04-Feb-13, 17:55

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Help!!

Why did black play 2... cxd5 rather than 2... Qg6 or Qc5. Is there something here that I don't see?

sccadams
04-Feb-13, 18:19

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2. Bf4 Qg6
3. Nc7+

gru1
04-Feb-13, 18:50

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@ sccadams

I would have thought something like
2. Bf4 Qg6
3. Nc7+ Kd8
4. Nxa8 d6
5. f3 c5
6. Nb3 Nc6 only loses black's rook which seems better than giving up his queen immediately.
Is there still something I'm missing? I can't see too far into the distance.

Thanks for your patience.

sccadams
04-Feb-13, 22:17

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That's not a bad continuation. Though after 4. ... d6, I'd play 5. Nb6 extracting the knight. Note that after 5. ... Qxe4+, 6. Be3 holds on to the knight. So essentially in this problem, black is trading his queen for two minor pieces compared to losing a rook outright. So, you can see why black might think the main line is the lesser of two evils after
1. ... c6
2. Bf4 cxd5
3. Bxd6 Bxd6

That said, maybe in the opening keeping the queen on the board at the expense of the rook is right move in some cases, particularly if you can see some attacking opportunities and if black was better developed. At the start of the tactic, the only black piece to have moved is the queen. That's not a recipe for success by any means.

gru1
05-Feb-13, 16:17

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@ sccadams

Many thanks for your thoughtful response. Of course, I am just a novice and I made the right first move for what was perhaps the wrong reason - thinking I'd get a small gain by capturing his rook. Then when he gave up his queen, in my naivete I thought "What, are you crazy?" However, upon further reflection - and a lot of help from you - I realize that he (i.e., the computer) is perfectly rational and I am, if not crazy, just a little too emotional

Thanks again.

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CHESS TACTICS #81376