Lessons From Mariánské Lázně: Many A Slip 'Twixt Cup And Lip

ONE of the features that makes chess so exciting, at least to those who play the game, is the same thing as makes it so frustrating - one careless move after hours of play can turn a win into a loss.

My opponent in round one of the Seniors 50+ tournament suffered in this way.

Position after I played 22...cxd4

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Material is arguably level - I write 'arguably' because the bishop is probably better than the knight, although I do not believe that is completely clear.

But the key to the position is the weakness of the d pawn.

White cannot immediately capture it as the white queen is attacked, so clearly White must move the queen with the intention of picking up the pawn next move.

Both 23.Qd2 and 23.Qd1 are good for this purpose.

True, Black could reply 23...Rd8, when 24.Bxd4?! is a little problematic as it walks into a pin.

Stockfish15 and Komodo13.02 reckon 24.Bxd4?! is playable, but much better, according to them, is 24.Rd3, after which White will have no problems grabbing the pawn.

However, the game saw 23.Qa1?, which at first glance may seem good as it also avoids a pin and sets up 24.Bxd4.

But the queen, although it looks powerful on the long dark diagonal, has been drastically decentralised.

After 23...Nd5 the game has gone from winning for White (Stockfish15), or at least the upper hand for White (Komodo13.02), to winning for Black (Stockfish15), or at least the upper hand for Black (Komodo13.02).

White has no good way to defend f4, eg 24.Rf3 is met by 24...Rc2, and if 25.Bxd4 then 25...Qc7 is decisive as 26.Bb2 is met by 26...Qc6, when Black threatens 27...Nxf4! Similarly 26.Rf1 fails to 26...Qc6.

For a short while Komodo13.02 reckons 24.f5 equalises, but again 24...Rc2 is very strong.

Another try is 24.Qf1, but the engines reckon neither 24...Qc5 nor 24...Ne3 can be adequately met.

The game continued 24.Bxd4 Nxf4 25.Qf1 (there is nothing better) Rc1! 0-1

The lesson from this game is one we all know but most of us find hard to follow: keep concentrating to the very end, particularly looking out for the opponent's threats, not just your own.