When to Capture or exchange
when should we make captures
we give values to various pieces, but we always have to think of their mobility
a piece that can't move very much is not strong
your own pieces are usually the problem
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2
how valuable is the white pawn
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4
if white could move the Knight to e7, without
having the black King trapped in h8 which would
be a stalemate, white will win
5 6
white 'sees' the possibility of Ne7 +
notes
when should we make captures or exchange material ?
only when it suits us
only when the value of the exchange is right
values of all the pieces change during the game - capturing a piece which saves the game
is very important
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2
mate with a Knight and Bishop (with the King's help, can be forced but very hard (in unfavourable
positions can take up to 34 correct moves)
so taking the pawn
3
3.Nc7 Kh8 4.Nd5 Kg8 5.Ne7+ Kf8 6.Kh7 Kxe7 7.g7 Kf6 8.g8Q and it turns into a BASIC mate
though there is a forced mate-in-6 moves
3.Kg5 Kh8 4.g7+ Kh7 5.Kf6 Kg8 6.Ke7 Kh7 7.Kf7 Kh6 8.g8Q Kh5 9.Qg5# checkmate
4
1...Qxg6+ 2.Kxg6 Kg8 3.Nf5 Kh8 4.Kf6 Kg8 5.Ke7 Kh8 6.Kf8 Kh7 ….
note that checkmate with just the 2 knights cannot be forced so it is OK to capture the pawn
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&
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33.Rxd4 a sacrifice - white saw the value of the Knight check after the recapture cxd4
34.Ne7+ this is the correct way to play, since 34 Qxc8 ..Qxc8 35 Nxc8 + seems the same
but in fact the difference is that in this variation black's d-pawn can Queen safely (and so black would win)
but in what was played, white can capture that pawn and his better pawns (probable 2 passed pawns will force the win
Qxe7 35.Qxc8+ Qf8 36.Qxf8+ Kxf8 1-0