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Luke McShane vs Radoslaw Wojtaszek
"May the Fork be With You" (game of the day May-24-2024)
Tata Steel Group B (2011), Wijk aan Zee NED, rd 6, Jan-21
Sicilian Defense: Closed Variation (B23)  ·  1-0

ANALYSIS [x]

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Kibitzer's Corner
Jan-21-11  luzhin: 11...Be6 and 12...Nf7 make a disgusting impression; but McShane still had to play well to exact the due penalty.
Jan-21-11  beenthere240: Classic queen eliminating knight fork -- no mate but an easily won endgame.
Jan-22-11  notyetagm: http://www.chessbase.com/newsdetail...

21.Ng5! This insidious move actually threatens to win the queen. Not via some double attack, something a little more direct. 21...Rd8 The only move. 21...Nxg5? 22.Rd6! and the queen is caught.; 21...h6? 22.Nxf7 Kxf7 23.Rd6! and caught again!

Jan-22-11  rclb: 10 ...f5 is a mistake, after which moves like 11...Be6 and 12...Nf7 seem almost logical. After that, Luke plays like an engine. Very impressive.
Jan-22-11  Ulhumbrus: 9...Nxc4 gains the biahop pair but at a price: It costs two tempi for development.

The move 10...f5? then opens lines in a position where White is ahead in development. Having lost time for development in order to gain the bishop pair, it seems more consistent to avoid opening lines.

McShane manages to make count his lead in developmnent and wins.

A reasonable guess is that Wojtaszek planned this but that there was something which he did not foresee in time.

Jan-22-11  notyetagm: Game Collection: HIT DEFENDERS HARD! HIT DEFENDERS HARD!

McShane vs R Wojtaszek, 2011 21 Nf3-g5! attacks Black f7-knight defender of d6-trapping sq

Jan-22-11  notyetagm: Game Collection: EVERY TIME YOU PUSH A PAWN IT WEAKENS SQUARES

McShane vs R Wojtaszek, 2011 20 ... e7-e6?! weakens d6-trapping square, allowing 21 Nf3-g5!

Jan-22-11  notyetagm: Nice game by McShane.
Jan-22-11  notyetagm: I really like how the theme of the <TRAPPED QUEEN>, the Black b6-queen which has <NO RETREAT!>, runs thoughout the middlegame.
Jan-22-11  notyetagm: Game Collection: DESPERADO: HANGING MATERIAL SUSPENDS NORMALITY

McShane vs R Wojtaszek, 2011 25 Re6xg6+! is made possible only by the hanging Black d1-rook

Feb-27-16  clement41: Nice game. It seems that 25 Rxb6 RxR+ Kf2 is as well but less straightforward. E.g. ...Rc1 c3 Nd8 Rd6 if Nf7 Nd8 (not Nd6 because of ...Rd1)
May-24-24  Saniyat24: brilliant pun and game...!
May-24-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  offramp: Oh yeah! <May the force...> THAT's why today is May the 24th! Of course! They used that pun specially for today: May the 24th...
May-24-24
Premium Chessgames Member
  Teyss: Excellent pun, good game. Would have been even better on May the 4th. Would have been astounding if Luke McShane had played against Georg Walker or Muzenda Solo.

Actually, the pun could have been "May the Forks be With You": 23.Nxe6+, 38.Qxf4+ (on K and N) and of course the hidden one at the end which is unavoidable.

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