Not only did both players miss the win of a piece, but when I showed the game to a friend, he could not spot the tactic either, despite knowing something was on.
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| White to make his 28th move in Bob Wheat (1786) - Spanton (1954) |
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White played 28.Rxc3??, to which I replied 28...Rxc3??
Neither I, nor, presumably, my opponent, nor my friend, saw that 28...Bxe4 wins a piece as, after 29.Rxc8+, Black has the decisive 29...Qxc8.
How to explain this mutual, or rather triple, oversight?
I think a major cause might be that subconsciously we are used to a bishop, especially a queen's bishop, being well-defended on its starting square.
It begins the game defended by the queen, to which often is quickly added the queen's rook (after the queen's knight has moved).
In addition, early kingside castling may result in the queen's bishop also being covered by the king's rook.
None of this excuses the players from failing to spot the fact that in the diagram the white queen's bishop is hanging, ie is undefended, but it may explain the blundering.
LESSON: positions need to be looked at with as clear a mind as possible, and a special effort may be needed to overcome subconscious biases.
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