A Zwischenzug is when a player seems to have only one move at their disposal,
usually a recapture, but instead of playing it they slip in another move which has
to be dealt with right away (often a check). Then they play the expected move.
It is much easier to show an example of an Zwischenzug and this one is perfect.
A. Virkud - I. Krush, U.S. Women's Championship 2012 (Black to move)
It appears that Black can win a piece with a sham sacrifice of the Queen.
1...Qxd4 2.Qxd4 Nb3+ winning back Queen. But then White has 4.Bxe4.
[FEN "8/k4p2/pp1qp3/2n5/3NbP2/P1Q2BPp/1P5P/2K5 b - - 0 1"]
1... Qxd4 {Black played this because a Zwischenzug can win two pieces.} 2. Qxd4 Nb3+ 3. Kd1 {The only move. Now instead of taking the Queen Black plays....} 3... Bxf3+ {...CHECK! this is the Zwischenzug and after...} 4. Ke1 {...It does not matter where the King moves to.} 4... Nxd4 {Black now takes the Queen and is two pieces up.}
Here are a couple RHP games making good use of the Zwischenzug.
minnekeer1 - Yangtze RHP 2011
[FEN "r2qk2r/p1p1bpp1/2p5/1p1nP1B1/8/3P1QP1/PPP2PP1/RN3RK1 w kq - 0 1"]
1. Bh4 {This gives Black excellent attacking chances. Better was 1.Be3.} 1... Bxh4 {White can cloud the attack here with c4 shifting the d5 Knight.} 2. gxh4 {After this White is doomed.} 2... Qxh4 3. Qh3 {The only move to stop Qh2 or Qh1 checkmate.} 3... Nf4 {Very alert play by Black.} 4. Qxh4 {And now we see a Zwischenzug Mate.} 4... Ne2+ {The in-between moves before taking the Queen.} 5. Kh2 Rxh4 {Checkmate.}
This next RHP game is good. The Zwischenzug is four moves long.
stark - FBrosch RHP 2018
[FEN "r2q3r/1b3pk1/p2p1npp/1p2p3/2PpP1PQ/1P1P1N1P/P3BPK1/R4R2 w - - 0 20"]
20. g5 {A bit risky opening up that h-file. 1.Qg3 seems OK.} 20... hxg5 21. Qxg5 Nh5 22. Qxd8 { Black does not recapture the Queen until they have won a piece.} 22... Nf4+ {Kg3 or Kig1 and the e2 Bishop falls with a check.} 23. Kh2 Rxh3+ {This moves ensures the Bishop is taken with a check.} 24. Kg1 Nxe2+ 25. Kg2 {Now to save the h3 Rook.} 25... Nf4+ 26. Kg1 {Black can now recapture the Queen.} 26... Rxd8
Actually the game in the Harry Golombek book is:
L. Steiner- K. Helling, Berlin 1928
Greenpawn and a few other on RHP have played the exact same game.
[FEN "r1bq1rk1/2p2ppp/p2b4/1p6/3P2n1/1BP5/PP3PPP/RNBQR1K1 w - - 0 1"]
1. h3 {You can see this has come from a mainline of the Marshall Gambit.} 1... Qh4 2. Qf3 Nxf2 3. Qxf2 {If 3...Bg3 then 4.Qxf7+ Rxf7 5.Re8 mate. So Black slips in a Zwischenzug.} 3... Bh2+ 4. Kf1 {The White King has to protect the Queen.} 4... Bg3 {The Zwischenzug has produced a slight difference from the position two moves ago.} 5. Qxf7+ {This does not work this time because....} 5... Rxf7+ {CHECK! the Zwischenzug 3...Bh2+ forced the King on f1. White has lost the Queen.}
A very common setting for the Zwischenzug is this idea in the following position.
Tijl Uilenspiegel - karellen RHP2020 (white to play)
17.Nd5 Qxd2 and before taking back on d2 White played 18.Nxe7+ and then 19.Qxd2.
That tactic (Nd5, Nxe7+ and Rxd2) in it’s many shapes and forms has appeared on RHP
280+ times and many more in OTB play. Indeed this position is well known to theory.
The debate since 1956 has been can White play 12.Nd5 Qxd2 13.Nxe7+ and 14.Rxd2
because within it lay a Queen sacrifice idea (used by Tal and Larsen in similar positions.)
I’ll give an OTB game because RHP examples with the Queen sac are rather thin on the ground.
Hopefully after seeing this it may ignite a spark in future games. I have played it OTB and won
with it as Black. Not sure if I would have gone for it without seeing it played elsewhere first.
G. Shurgulaia- D. Jojua Tbilisi 2001
[FEN "r1b2rk1/3nppbp/p4np1/qpp5/2P1P3/2N1BP2/PP1QN1PP/1K1R1B1R w - - 0 12"]
12. Nd5 {Instead of dropping back to d8 to save the e7 pawn Black picks up two pieces for the Queen.} 12... Nxd5 13. Qxa5 Nxe3 14. Rc1 Nxc4 {Hitting the Queen and b2.} 15. Rxc4 {Best move. That Knight was causing problems.} 15... bxc4 16. f4 {Played to keep the d7 Knight at bay but now the e-pawn needs protecting.} 16... Bb7 17. e5 Bh6 18. h4 {Always awkward as White in these positions, do I attack or do I defend?} 18... Rad8 {With Nxe5 and Rd1+ ideas.} 19. a3 {Luft.} 19... Be4+ 20. Ka2 Bc2 {With Bb3+ coming making the back rank vulnerable again.} 21. a4 {More luft.} 21... Nxe5 {The shot that has been hovering over the board for the past few moves.} 22. fxe5 Bb3+ 23. Ka3 Rd1 {Looking for Ra1 mate.} 24. Qxc5 {Freeing b4 for the White King. Best was to wriggle about with Nc1 and Bxc4} 24... Ra1+ 25. Kb4 {To wrap this up first of all Black blocks off the c3 flight square.} 25... Bd2+ {White resigned here because...} 26. Nc3 {Only move.} 26... Rxa4 {Checkmate.}
I enjoyed that. I'll invite him back again.
The thread accompanying this blog is
Thread 192475
