Beginners look for mating tactics when there are none.
Masters have developed an energy-saving radar that tells them when to look.
Bozidar Kazic White
B. Vukovic Black
Yugoslavia 1940
Two Knights Defense, Max Lange Attack C55
1 e4 e5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 ♗c4 ♘f6 4 d4 exd4 5 0-0 ♗c5 6 e5
Opening books used to say 6...♘g4 7 c3 dxc3 is met by 8 ♕d5 ♕e7 9 ♗g5.
Question 183: What’s wrong with that?
6...d5 7 exf6 dxc4 8 ♖e1+ ♔f8 9 ♗g5! gxf6!
Not 9...♕d7?? 10 ♗h6! gxh6 11 ♕d2! and wins.
10 ♗h6+ ♔g8
11 ♘c3!
White’s radar is operational: He threatens 12 ♘xd4! and a mate after 12...♘xd4 13 ♘d5!. Or 12...♗xd4 13 ♘d5! ♗e6 14 ♖xe6! fxe6 15 ♕g4+.
11...♗g4
Question 184: What is White’s best after 11...♗f8 ?
12 ♘e4 b6? 13 c3!
His radar told him to look for moves like this: 13...dxc3?? 14 ♕xd8+ mates, while 13...d3 14 ♕a4 also loses.
13...♘e5? 14 ♘xe5! ♗xd1 15 ♘d7!
Mate is forced.
15...♗e7 16 ♘exf6+ ♗xf6 17 ♖e8+ ♕xe8 18 ♘xf6 mate.
Geza Maroczy White
Milan Vidmar Black
Ljubljana 1922
1 e4 e5 2 ♘f3 ♘c6 3 ♗c4 ♘f6 4 d4 exd4 5 0-0 ♗c5 6 e5 d5 7 exf6 dxc4 8 ♖e1+ ♗e6! 9 ♘g5 ♕d5 10 ♘c3 ♕f5 11 ♘ce4 ♗f8? (Chances are mixed after 11...0-0-0!) 12 ♘xf7! ♔xf7 13 ♘g5+ ♔g8 14 g4! ♕xf6? 15 ♖xe6 ♕d8 16 ♕f3 ♕d7 17 ♖e7! resigns (17...♕xe7 18 ♕d5+).