DISAPPEARING ACTS

In a game played in 2006 between two moderately rated British players, following position was reached after black’s 14^th move.

RUDD-ROBERTSON 2006
WHITE TO MOVE

15.  e5

White played this innocent looking pawn breakthrough and all of a sudden all hell broke loose. Pieces started disappearing left, right and center.

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THE KIDNAPPED KING

Chess literature is full of instructive games where a piece sacrifice is made in order to force the opposition King out of its protective shell. There are many sad stories of such Kings who went walkabout only to wonder aimlessly before being overpowered by enemy pieces but none more spectacular than this 1912 classic between Edward Lasker & G. Thomas.

1.    d4             f5

2.    e4             fxe4

3.    Nc3          Nf6

4.    Bg5          e6

5.    Nxe4        Be7

6.    Bxf6         Bxf6

7.    Nf3           O-O 

8.    Bd3           b6

9.    Ne5          Bb7

10.  Qh5

The threat is fairly obvious. White is going to play Nxf6 & Qxh7. So Black played......

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