[chessmind] Dennis Monokroussos: Tactics Time: Solve the puzzle, evaluate the analysis

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Posted by Dennis Monokroussos:
Tactics Time: Solve the puzzle, evaluate the analysis
http://chessmind.powerblogs.com/posts/1205279238.shtml


   Let's start with a nice combination, from the game Najer-Ftacnik,
   Bundesliga 2007/8:
   [najer_ftacnik_bundesliga2008.jpg]
   It's White to move and win. (HT: [1]Chess Today)
   And now for something incompletely different. It's still a tactical
   problem of sorts, but this time instead of solving the position from
   scratch, your task is to evaluate a piece of analysis approved by
   Botvinnik and Soltis. Here's the position:
   [botvinnik_stoltz_1926_analysis.jpg]
   It's White to move, and in the game White played 12.Nxe4, not fearing
   the pawn fork. Had he been concerned and chosen 12.Bb1, the claim is
   that Black would be in good shape - winning, actually - after 12...f5
   13.Nxe4 fxe4 14.Rxc7 exf3 15.Rxb7 Qg5 16.g3 Qg4 17.Kh1 Rf6 18.Rg1 Rh6
   19.Qf1 Qh5 20.h4 Qxh4. Can we take this analysis to the bank, or would
   we be toting around counterfeit goods?
   Answers to both puzzles in a couple of days (meanwhile, please be kind
   to fellow solvers and avoid giving the solution in the comments).

References

   1. http://www.chesstoday.net/