For example, in my most recent tournament, I was the third seed behind a FIDE master and another 2200 guy. Everyone else was much lower rated than the top three. So when I managed to beat the FIDE master in the third round, I thought, beautiful, all I need to do is beat the weaker players, and even if I lose to the 2200 guy I'll have an excellent chance to at least tie for first in the tournament.

Absolutely....

My 'dull puzzle' claim was just my opinion.

Young or old, whatever, let us all make our claims in dialogue, and listen to the claims of others, as we move towards greater understanding.....

White's winning tactic is to decoy the queen away by means of an unprotected skewer-black now must either lose a rook by "skewerment" or "abandonment" (the first is not a word,the second is).

So he keeps his powder dry -- he's got a big advantage anyway - and increases the pressure with 26.Re1. When black helpfully makes his situation even worse with ...Kh8, exposing himself to back rank mates, *then* it's time to pounce with 27.Bh4.

It looks as though we're all in what a colleague of mine calls "violent agreement".

Forward to TPOTD

All the action is on the kingside. White has a light sq bishop for a knight, which should be to its advantage given the open lines.

What if, Bh4 pinning the Queen to the rook. Qxh4, Qxf5, Nf6, Qe6, Rg8, Qxd6 etc.,

PM+

Interesting thinking technique. It certainly will help highlight potential skewers and pins.

No, it was an opportunity missed.... I did manage to win my other games against the weaker players, but lost to the 2200 guy, and came third behind the two stronger players. I was clearly better in the game where I blundered, and if I had won that game, I would have tied for first with the FIDE master.

I don't know what the count is exactly, but let's guess, maybe my 132nd tournament lesson in NOT assuming you will beat a weaker player.... the 154th lesson in not getting ahead of myself (in this case, thinking about winning the tournament after a round 3 victory)....

Absolutely agree, this server is very good.

<30.g3>, when now I don't see how black can break through.>

Here's the position after 30.g3 (I guess you were just visualizing it rather than setting it up on the board, since I don't believe you'd miss Qf3+ and the forced mate otherwise):

click for larger view

30. ... Qf3+! 31. Kh2 <if Kg1 then Qxg3+ Kh1 Rxh4#> Rxh4+ 32. gxh4 Be5+ 33. Kg1 Qg4+ 34. Kh1 Qh3+ 35. Kg1 Qh2#

After 29...Qxf6, white has only two non-immediately-losing moves:

First possibility:

30. Qd3 Qxh4+ 31. Qh3 Qg4 32. Qxh5 Qxh5+ 33. Kg1 Be5 34. g3 Qh3

click for larger view

and now advance the h-pawn to rip the white's position apart.

Second possibility leads to the same position as above, except faster:

30. Qe4 Rxh4+ 31. Qxh4 Qxh4+ 32. Kg1 Be5 33. g3 Qh3

Why even bother to play chess at all?

Chess is the only "sport" where players resign the first bad blow they get dealt, and this type of cowardice is encouraged and "taught" to beginners.

Yep, I was visualising from the memory of your diagram, and missed 30...Qf3+.

I think white will get smashed in the final position you have given.

So in conclusion a very nice trap with 26...Qh6.

Secondly, I don't believe your arguement. Plachetka missed the trick on move 26, plain and simple. The whole 26.Bh4 Qh6 line is rebutted by simply 27.Qxf5, picking up an X. This is if Plachetka saw through the computer analysis finding the clever answer to 27.Bxd8 if white gets greedy. True, all white gets is an X, but that is all white gets in the actual game as well. And white almost didn't get that much except for black's helping hand with the 26...Kh8 boner.