Lessons From Mariánské Lázně: Look At The Whole Board

IT is easy in the heat of battle to focus on the one part of the board where all the action seems to be.

Position in my round-six game after I played 47.Kg1-h2

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My opponent played 47...Qf4+ and offered a draw, which I accepted.

In some ways that was understandable as he is rated 218 Fide elo lower, and I was threatening both his h and g pawns.

But winning, according to Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02, is 47...Qxa3.

This does not win a pawn - White replies by capturing on h4 or g7 - but it wins because Black gets a fast-moving passed b pawn while White does not have a passer.

A sample continuation is 48.Bxh4 Qe7 49.Bf2 b5 50.Qg3 (not 50.g4? as 51...Qe4 leads to mate) b4 etc.