Arizona State Championships
I thought I would share with you some of my favorite positions from the tournament. I was at the tournament helping analyze games and these were some of the most memorable situations that I saw.
If Black can find the strong ...c3! he is doing very well. White's King is a sitting duck in the corner and White will most likely have to allow Black to get rid of the doubled pawn and open up the diagonal further for his dark-squared Bishop. If White captures, Black will follow with Bg7 winning an exchange due to the strong pressure.
The best move for White in the last position is Ne6! There are a lot of other moves that keep an advantage but this one is clearly strongest. The Knight and Rook on the 6th rank look a bit shaky but if Black responds with Ke7, White can double on the d-file and the threats will too strong for Black to handle.
The final game that I'd like to show you is a position from a Grand Prix attack that eventually fizzled out into a very comfortable position for Black. Black is winning positionally here but what is the best way to cash in on the advantage?
If you found ...Qxe1! good job! Rxf3 is a tempting looking move but after White recaptures with his rook, Black isn't winning anything.
I love interesting and tense situations like these in big scholastic events. The kids always bring a lot of excitement to the table. I hope you enjoyed these games!