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Black to Play and Win

Pete Tamburro on Jan 18, 2010

In a game between Zahar Efimenko of Ukraine and Julen Arizmendi Martinez of Spain in 2006 at Gibraltar, Black finished off White in quite pretty fashion. Can you figure out how the Spanish player did it?

Solution:

1...Rxh2+ 2.Kxh2 [2.Kg1 Qc5+ 3.Kxh2 (No serious chess player would opt for playing a queen down: 3.Qd4 Qxd4+ 4.Kxh2 Qxc3) 3...Qh5+ 4.Kg1 Bc5+ 5.Kf1 Qh1#] 2...Qh5+ (an effective use of the pin by the bishop on d6) 3.Rh4 Qxh4+ 4.Kg1 Bc5+ 5.Kf1 Qh1#

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

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