Sharper Mind, Better Moves, Smarter Life

Have you ever been in that winning position, where you think your moves are basically automatic and feel like you no longer have to think much?

The truth is, yes, sometimes they are automatic, but other times, even though you may seem completely winning, they’re not as automatic as they seem.

Even in completely winning positions, regardless of what stage of the game they are, we have to think.

Otherwise we could draw or lose games we could have won, had we just paused for a moment and diminished the opponent’s last hope.

Take for example this position

First let us realize that Black was winning before playing the move h2?? To see how the position before h2?? was a winning pawn endgame for black, please read the next post.

Now, after h2, I thought my next moves to victory would be quite automatic because of the concept of zugzwang.

That is, I just play Kf2! and neither black’s king or h-pawn can move, so all they can do is give up their pawns on the queenside and let me promote.

In my head, I thought, whatever pawn they push, I just capture and that’s the automatic way to my victory. Wrong.

You don’t just capture whatever pawn he pushes because that would ultimately lead to stalemate.

After Kf2, the best line to win the game involves letting one of his pawns through to promotion, but you manage to checkmate the black king right after that because you promote first.

The line that draws is the one where we automatically capture whichever pawn he pushes and its as follows:

1. Kf2 c5
2. dxc5 d4
3. cxd4
4. b4!

Show

It is after you play cxd4 that you would realize it was a crucial mistake and that black would look at you and laugh in relief.

Simply because it doesn’t matter that you are the only one who can promote if you’re the only one able to move their pieces.

Here is how you avoid the trick and win the game:

1. Kf2 c5
2. dxc5 d4
3. c6! d3
4. c7 d2
5. c8=Q d1=Q
6. Qc6+ Qf3+
7. Qxf3#

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OR

1. Kf2 c5
2. dxc5 b4
3. cxb4 d4
4. c6 d3
5. c7 d2
6. c8=Q d1=Q
7. Qc6+ Qf3+
8. Qxf3#

Show

Lesson: The lesson here is that no matter how automatic your moves seem to be, always pause after your opponent makes a move and think about the outcome of your next move.

Think about how they would respond to that move you want to make and how you would respond after that.

Pro tip: Improvement comes only through intentional and consistent study. Keep practicing your chess concepts, day in and day out. You can track your training progress by using our training calendar on this app.