Black to Play

Pete Tamburro on Apr 15, 2026

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This is our 12th instructional game in our series. Feel free to check the archives for our earlier ones. This one is Nicifor - Kraemer (C48)Yugoslavia Decin, 1922We normally look at the end of games, but with these instructional games we've been exploring some where the critical point in the game occurs in the middle game and even in the opening ten moves. Today is one of the latter. Let's see how alert you are!1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bb5 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5 5.Nxe5 Nd4 6.Be2?! (White should castle rather than worry too much about the bishop. 6.0–0)6...0–0 7.d3 d5! (An excellent and thematic counter in the games that start out with l.e4 e5. Timing is everything.)8.Bg5 Re8 9.Nf3 ( And now one of those critical moments. What move should you make here? SEE DIAGRAM)

The alert player would have to find 9...Nxe4! 10.Nxe4 If 10.Bxd8?? Nxf3+ 11.gxf3 (11.Bxf3 Nxc3+ 12.Kd2 Nxd1; 11.Kf1 Nfd2+ 12.Kg1 Bxf2#) 11...Bxf2+ 12.Kf1 Bh3# 10...dxe4 11.Bxd8 exf3 12.Bh4 fxg2 13.Kd2 gxh1Q 14.Qxh1 Rxe2+ 15.Kd1 Bg4 16.Qxb7 Rxc2+ 17.Ke1 Re8+ 18.Kf1 Bh3+ 19.Kg1 Ne2+ 20.Kh1 Nc1 21.f4 Ree2 22.Qb8+ Bf8 23.Bg3 Red2 24.Qxa7 Rd1+ 25.Qg1 Bg2 mate

Send questions and comments to PTamburro@aol.com.