OK, here we go again! This time you have a practical tournament position where you have to make a big decision in the opening few moves. It happens. The game started out with 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Bc4 b5. Black has combined two moves, Nd4 and b5, to attack your bishop. This violates an opening principle about wasting time and not developing other pieces first. You also have been told here that f7 is particularly vulnerable when the Black king has not castled, but you're not that developed either. Since I've told you to look at all checks and captures before you move, the big question to pop into your mind is whether you should play Bxf7+ in this position. Figure it out. Try to find a forcing line that at least wins material. Be careful to consider Black replies. Write down how you think it will go with all the important variations. Then look at the solution. Your clock is ticking!

Solution:

Arsinzev-Romanjuk, 1982, started out with: 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nd4 4.Bc4 b5

See Diagram

5.Bxf7+ Kxf7 6.Nxd4 [If you tried 6.Nxe5+ Ke8 7.Qh5+ g6 8.Nxg6 hxg6 9.Qxh8 Nxc2+ 10.Kd1 Nxa1 11.Qxg8 Qg5 12.Rg1 b4 13.d4 (13.b3 Qf6) 13...Qg4+ 14.f3 Qe6, Black wins in this line!] 6...exd4 [White wins if 6...Qh4 7.Qf3+ Nf6 8.Nxb5 c6 9.N5c3. Question: did you see that line?] 7.Qh5+ Ke7 [7...g6 8.Qd5+wins the rook] 8.Qe5+ Kf7 9.Qd5+ Black Resigned as he loses the rook with no compensation. Tough, huh? If you didn't get the whole thing, you scored a victory if at least realized that there were TWO captures worth looking at on move six: Nxd4 and Nxe5. Then at least you're seeing candidate moves, and that's good. The Qh5+ idea and playing Nxg6 after that is worth knowing, too, as is the queen check winning the rook on a8. The answer to the original question, then, is yes, but only if you saw Nxd4 as the next move!

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