Tactics Time Chess Newsletter: Joel Johnson Guest Issue

Published: Sun, 12/23/12

Newsletter Issue Lay Down Sacrifice

Tactics Time

Lay Down Sacrifice

I feel it's a responsibility for anyone who breaks through a certain ceiling... to send the elevator back down and give others a helpful lift. ~ Kevin Spacey


H

appy Festivus!

Today's newsletter is guest written by Life Master Joel Johnson, author of Formation Attacks, Formation Attack Strategies, and the newly released, Attacking 101: Volume #001 (Volume 1) . Thanks Joel!

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

Answer below.

When you have a superior spatial advantage, finding the best method of proceeding can often become an impossible task.

In the following game from my recently released, "Attacking 101: Volume #001", we witness what I like to refer to as a Lay Down Sacrifice to bust open the Black kingside to expose all his dark square weaknesses.

   --------- Game #005 ----------

   Black's passive play leads to a Lay Down Sacrifice to expose all the weak dark squares around the Black King.

   (W) MassCarnage (2200)
   (B) cajob321 (1330)
   [C21] ICC tourney 387829 (3 0), (Round 4), 08/31/2011

   1.e4 e5 2.d4 exd4 3.Bc4 Nc6 4.Nf3 Bb4+ 5.c3 dxc3 6.bxc3

   The move Nxc3 is also good but I prefer bxc3.

   6. ... Bc5

   The move Be7?? would be at blunder due to the Knockout Punch move, Qd5.

   7.0-0 Nf6

   Black should play d6 hindering the White move e5.

   8.e5! Ng8?

   Black's first choice in response to White's move e5, should be the counterattacking move d5!. The only exception is when Black has a Bishop on e7 and White can capture two pieces for one.

   9.Bg5

   Another alternative for White is 9. Bxf7+ Kxf7 10. Qd5+ Kf8 11. Qxc5+ winning the pawn back and preventing the Black King from castling.

   9. ... Nge7 10.Nbd2 0-0 11.Ne4 Bb6?

   Black had to play either d5 or d6. Now Black is losing.

   12.Qd2

   White is eyeing the Lay Down Sacrifice move, Nf6+. The move Qd2 prepares for a subsequent invasion of the weak dark squares around the Black King. As it turns out the move Nf6+ could have been played immediately.

   12. ... Qe8

Here is the complete game:

[Event "ICC tourney 387829 (3 0)"]
[Site "Internet Chess Club"]
[Date "2011.08.31"]
[Round "4"]
[White "MassCarnage"]
[Black "cajob321"]
[Result "1-0"]
[ECO "C21"]
[WhiteElo "2200"]
[BlackElo "1330"]
[Annotator "Johnson,Joel"]
[PlyCount "31"]
[EventDate "2011.??.??"]

1. e4 e5 2. d4 exd4 3. Bc4 Nc6 4. Nf3 Bb4+ 5. c3 dxc3 6. bxc3 Bc5 7. O-O Nf6 8.
e5 Ng8 9. Bg5 Nge7 10. Nbd2 O-O 11. Ne4 Bb6 12. Qd2 Qe8 13. Nf6+ gxf6 14. Bxf6
Nf5 15. Qg5+ Ng7 16. Qxg7# {Black checkmated} 1-0

You can play through this game here: http://tacticstime.com/masscarnage-vs-cajob321/

Answer:

   13.Nf6+!!

   A very powerful Lay Down Sacrifice because Black has no choice but to accept the material, otherwise White will capture his Queen on the next move. The other reason why this move is so strong relates to the exposing of all the weak dark squares around the Black King.

   13. ... gxf6 14.Bxf6

   Now White controls the g7 and h8 squares and Black has no means of fending off the invading White Queen.

   14. ... Nf5

   The move Ng6 stops the White check along the g-file but leaves the weak g7 square as easy pickings after Qh6. And the problem with Nf5 is ...

   15.Qg5+ Ng7 16.Qxg7# 1-0

Happy Tactics!

Your Friend,

Joel

Life Master Joel Johnson

2007 U.S. Senior Champion

Author of "Formation Attacks", "Formation Attack Strategies", and "Attacking 101: Volume #001"

P.S. Check out Joel's new book here: Attacking 101: Volume #001 (Volume 1)