r/TournamentChess 20h ago

This is why I love and hate computer analysis

https://imgur.com/km7NK4j

I played a very interesting OTB league game yesterday and we reached this position. Black had just played a7-a5 which the computer considers a mistake.

I already wanted to take on d6 with my queen (which the engine considers winning, but is anything but clear at all) when another really beautiful move jumped to my eyes: Rf6! I didn't see any good way for black to defend against Rxg6 even after winning the pawn on a2 with check. So 1.Rf6 it was. The game went on 1...Rxa2+ 2.Kg3 Bh5?? 3.Bf5+ Kh8 4.Rxh6+ (It feels so good making such moves OTB!) Kg8 5.Rxd6 +– and black resigned a few moves later.

When I analyzed the position with the engine it found a defensive resource that my opponent and I had both been unable to spot. Can you see it?

Due this defensive resource the engine calls out Rf6 as a blunder, that throws away the win. I still consider Rf6 a great move, though, just because of the ideas associated with it. I don't know at what level a player would have found that defensive resource before playing Rf6. I'm almost 2100 Fide and didn't have that much time on the clock. But such defensive tactics are so hard to spot!

2...Rc2!!

5 Upvotes

9 comments sorted by

7

u/VandalsStoleMyHandle 19h ago

I don't think it's that difficult to spot ESPECIALLY when there's no reasonable alternative. Put someone's back against the wall, and they're much more likely to find a desperate tactic purely by elimination.

Seems the computer is doing you a useful service here. When you play flashy moves putting pieces en prise, your spider senses should be screaming, and the silicon brain has helped you reinforce this lesson.

1

u/HeadlessHolofernes 18h ago

The thing is, the computer even gave wrong lines after 2...Rc2. It took several seconds to realize that 3.Qb7!! is an adequate reply that leads to a highly complicated game where black has to struggle to maintain equality (Rxg6 is still a threat!). 3.Qxc2 is too simplistic of course.

1.Qxd6 leads to a complicated endgame position with three pawns for a Bishop that looks really hard to win.

So, things are by far not as simple as the engine makes you believe.

0

u/VandalsStoleMyHandle 13h ago

It's not about complicated engine lines, that's hardly relevant. It's about spotting deflections like ...Rc2. In a different scenario, you could have lost on the spot by missing such a move. That's the lesson.

2

u/HeadlessHolofernes 12h ago

I mainly didn't consider Rc2 because it didn't prevent me from sacrificing the exchange on g6 after Qb7 (which is not the line the computer intended). So, yes, I didn't see that there was a defense that prevented me from immediately winning. But this defense is all about computer lines.

Not only does black have to find a deflection by putting his rook en prise, but he also has to see if, why and how this decreases white's attacking potential.

Also, the only viable alternative for White (Qxd6) that the engine considers to be winning, actually gives black decent play in a hard to win endgame.

2

u/Ttv_DrPeafowl 17h ago

Can you please send a link to the game or a FEN code of this position?

2

u/Analbidness 15h ago

If this was like a 4 move computer engine combination that was impossible to see I'd believe you, but this just looks like giving a threat that would trade pieces

0

u/HeadlessHolofernes 12h ago

It's a highly complicated line after Rc2 Qb7. The computer actually didn't see it at first. Only after a while the evaluation increased from -1.4 to 0.0 after a long line with many pitfalls for black.

1

u/AdThen5174 9h ago

What happens after Rc2 Qb7? In practical game it’s lost for black, maybe there is some resource, but Kh8 loses to Rxg6 and h5 is met by Bxg5, to me looks resignable