Some nice attacking and mating ideas from Blitz games (November-December)

 

I was white in this position that arose from a Ponziani. I had won a pawn but black's attacking chances provide compensation. The bishop sacrifice on h3 looks promising, but I thought I could refute it. Indeed, the engine considers it unsound, and I counter-attacked until mate:

23. ... Bxh3 24. gxh3 Qxh3 25. Bf4 Rhg8+ 26. Bg3 h5 27. Nd5 h4 28. Rxe7+ Rxe7 29. Qxe7+ Kg6 30. Qxf6+ Kh7 31. Qf7+ Rg7 32 .Qh5+ Kg8 33. Nf6+ Kf8 34. Qe8#

 

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Another game with white, this time arising from a French Defense. White is already better, but thie bishop sacrifice blows the black position wide open:

19. Bxg6 fxg6 20. Qxg6 1-0 (Kd7 is the only move to avoid queen loss, and after Qxe6 white has three pawns for the bishop and a superior position).

 

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This rooks end game originated in a Lemberg gambit against the Alekhine (2. Nf3?!). I had been able to hang on to the pawn and reached this still difficult ending. However, white's latest move (g4) is a blunder: black will win the g pawn, or (as in the game) have an elegant mate:

39. ... Re3+ 40. Kh4? g5+ 41 .fxg5+ hxg5 #

 

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Black had rather misplayed the Ponziani, leaving me with a strong attack. With his 21st move (Ng8) he tries to scare off the white bishop. I saw a beautiful combination, and missed the mate in two with Qxg6... Anyway:

22. Nxg6 Nxh6 23. Rxe8 Bxe8 24. Nxh8+ Kf8 25. Qxh7 Ng8 26. Rxe8+ (Ng6 is mate in 7 by the way) Qxe8 27. Ng6+ Qxg6 28. Bxg6 Nd8 and black resigned.

 

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