Chess Puzzle of the Week (78): Solution

puzzle78

In this position White’s best move is 17. Bd7!, exploiting the pin on the d-file to set up a potential knight fork.

Play might continue: 17. Bd7 Nh4 18. Qf4 c5 19. b4 b6 20. bxc5 bxc5 21. Nxc5 Bxc5 22. Bc6 and White is winning material.

Instead, the game continued 17. g4 Nh4 18. Qf4, and, instead of the losing blunder Qd5 I should have played 18… Be5!, an echo of Bd7, again offering a sacrifice to set up an identical knight fork. After, for instance, 19. Rxd8 Bxf4 or 19. Qe3 Qe7 I’d have kept my extra pawn, although the game would still be far from over.

An unusual example of echo sacrifices within a couple of moves. Have you seen anything similar? If so, do let me know.