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White to Play

Pete Tamburro on Sep 29, 2025

Here are the opening moves of a game that are familiar to most players up to move seven. Then it gets interesting-- 1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Bc5 4.d3 Nf6 5.Nc3 0–0 6.Bg5 h6 7.h4? hxg5! 8.hxg5 Ng4 9.g6 Nxf2?? (See the diagram) Black falls into the trap. Always look for the freeing move d5 in any 1.e4 e5 game 9...d5 10.Bxd5 Bxf2+ 11.Kf1 Be6 and there is no attack. Can you find the one move that wins here for White?

From German-Wagenheim, Riga,1897 The winning attack starts out by sacrificing the queen. 10.Nxe5! Nxd1 11.gxf7+ Rxf7 12.Bxf7+ Kf8 13.Rh8+ Ke7 14.Nd5+ Kd6 15.Nc4 mate

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.

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