White to Play
Pete Tamburro
on
Published in Chess Puzzles
The Scandinavian Defense is often misplayed by amateurs. This game is one example: 1.e4 d5 2.exd5 Qxd5 3.Nc3 Qa5 4.d4 c6 5.Nf3 Bg4 6.Bf4 e6 7.h3 Bxf3 (Moving the bishop back to f5 or h5 just gets g4 as a reply. For example, 7...Bh5 8.g4 Bg6 9.h4 Nd7 10.h5 Be4 11.Bd2 Bxf3 12.Qxf3 h6 and White gets the exchange anyhow, but with 4 extra moves and a better placed bishop move in a great attacking position.)8.Qxf3 Bb4 9.Be2 Nd7 10.a3 0–0–0 (Black seems safely castled, but SEE DIAGRAM, now it's your move)
From a game won by Canal in 1934. 11.axb4! Qxa1+ 12.Kd2 Qxh1 13.Qxc6+ bxc6 14.Ba6 mate. The old Boden mating pattern strikes again.
Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.
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