Tactics: Castling into It 2
This week's Canadian Tactic comes from the game FM Roman Sapozhnikov - IM Bindi Cheng, at the 2014 Toronto Open.
Black has mangled pawns but active pieces; White's King is still in the center but it is White to move. What happens if White castles?
19.O-O
What could be wrong with castling?
Spoiler: Highlight to view
Castles is a blunder which loses by force.
Black is better no matter what White plays, but after 19.0-0 White is lost.
Good, but not Black's best:
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19...Rxf3 keeps the advantage, but is not the best move: 20.Rxd7 Qxd7 21.gxf3 Rg5+ 22.Kh1 Qd3 and White has two tries:
23.Qxe6+ Kf8 24.Qh3 Rh5 25.Qg2 Be5 26.h3 b4! 27.Nd1 Rg5 -+
23.Qd1! -/+ Black's pieces are much more active, but the White Q holds things together for now.
Best is...
Spoiler: Highlight to view
19...Nc5!
This is the only move that wins. It improves on the variation above by preventing the counter-sacrifice Rxd7 which deflects the Black Q and slows the attack.
The game continued:
20.Qb4
20.Qc2 Rxf3 21.gxf3 Rg5+ 22.Kh1 Qf4 23.Qe2 (defends f3, but...) Be5 and there is no way to defend h2.
20...Rxf3!
The only move to win
21.gxf3 Rg5+ 22.Kh1 Qf4 0-1
There's no defence to ...Qxf3+ and mate on g2.
From the game:
FM Roman Sapozhnikov - IM Bindi Cheng
Toronto Crown op
2014.04.20