Wednesday, October 19, 2005

Two paths diverge in a wood . . . .


(Eyesofblue vs. Maguey)
(FICS Game)
(White to Move ... and, well.... not screw up!)

Decisions.... decisions... decisions.... As Robert Frost suggest, the simplest of them make "all the difference."

Here, I face such a dilemmna. I am smart enough to realize that the f6 bishop needs to go, but the crucial question is how. 1. Bxf6 or Nxf6. Well, I tried 1. Bxf6?? Disaster soon followed. 1... Nxf6 wins the game.


The white knight is being attacked three different ways, and it can't flee or 2... Qxd4 will occur. That poor knight fell on the next turn. Clearly, 1. Nxf6 was the correct move.
In all this was a horrific mistake. I am embarrased by it. I do note that it occurred over three years ago when I just started playing online chess, and I vaguely recall being under crazy time pressure. But I really hate making mistakes so obvious.