his game comes from the U.S. Women's Chess Championship, which concluded on Monday May 21, 2012, when Irina Krush defeated Anna Zatonskih in a 2 game rapid playoff, after they finished with the same score in the main event.

 

   In the position on the right it is Black to move. 

 

   Answer below.

   You can read more about this playoff here: http://uschesschamps.com/krush-beats-zatonskih-win-us-womens-championship

 

 

   Here is the complete game:

 

[Event "2012 U.S. Women's Championship Playoff"]
[Site "?"]
[Date "2012.05.20"]
[Round "2.1"]
[White "Krush, Irina"]
[Black "Zatonskih, Anna"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "D45"]
[PlyCount "48"]
[EventDate "2012.??.??"]
[TimeControl "1800+450"]
[WhiteClock "0:00:18"]
[BlackClock "0:00:16"]

1. c4 e6 2. Nf3 d5 3. d4 Nf6 4. Nc3 c6 5. e3 Nbd7 6. Qc2 Bd6 7. b3 O-O 8. Be2
dxc4 9. bxc4 e5 10. O-O Re8 11. a4 Qe7 12. Qb3 e4 13. Nd2 c5 14. Nb5 Bb8 15.
Ba3 a6 16. Nc3 Qd6 17. g3 Qe6 18. d5 Qh3 19. Qc2 Ne5 20. Ndxe4 Nfg4 21. Bxg4
Nxg4 22. f4 Bf5 23. Ng5 Qxf1+ 24. Kxf1 Bxc2 1-0

 

   You can play through this game here: http://uschesschamps.com/krush-beats-zatonskih-win-us-womens-championship

 

   Answer:

 

   There is a lot going on in this position.

• Black's Queen on h3 is attacked by the Knight on g5.
• Black is also attacking the White Queen on c2 with her bishop on f5.
• The Bishop on f5 is not protected, and is attacked by the queen.
• Black has a knight fork on e3
• The pawn on c5 is hanging, and attacked by the bishop
• Black could also mate the black King on h2 if the white queen could be deflected from c2.
  

   Obviously, things like the queen being attacked are the most important.  Black does not have time to take care of all these problem, or opportunities at the same time.

   So in a case like this, it is best to look at the forcing moves first. 

Checks are always the most forcing move.

   Here Black missed 23...Qxf1+! which trades the Queen for a Rook with Check.  White has only two ways to get out of check with 24. Rxf1 or 24. Kxf1.  After 24. Rxf1, Black can then play 24...Bxc2, leaving them up a whole rook.

   If 24. Kxh1, then black can still play 24...Bxc2 or the even cooler 24...Nxe3+ picking up a pawn with check, forking the king and queen, and then grabbing the queen on the next move.

 

 

   Happy Tactics!

 

   Your Friend,