82

Winning Chess Tournaments

The following position was reached after Black had just played Rd3??. Black in
his overconfidence played aggressively and abandoned the protection of the eighth
rank. This proved to be a fatal mistake.

cuuuuuuuuC
{wdwdrdkd}
{dwdwdRdp}
{wdwdp!pg}
{0Ndwdwdw}
{wdPdqdwd}
{dPdrdR)w}
{wdwdwdw)}
{dwdwdwdK}
vllllllllV

Diagram 32. Snyder versus Dahlberg, Santa Monica, 1971.

White to move and mate in four moves.
Answer: 1 Rg7+!. Black sat there and stared at the position for several minutes in disbelief.
He then resigned. There is no way to avoid mate. If 1 Bxg7 (or if 1 Kh8 2 Rxg6+
Bg7 3 Qxg7++) 2 Qf7+ Kh8 3 Qxe8+ Bf8 4 Qxf8++.

cuuuuuuuuC
{wdwdwiwd}
{dwHwgp0w}
{wdwdwdq0}
{dwdwdbdw}
{wdwdwdwd}
{dwdwdwdw}
{wdw!w)Pd}
{dwdw$wIw}
vllllllllV

Diagram 33. White to move and mate in two moves.

Answer: 1 Qd8+ Bxd8 2 Re8++.