I’m starting a little series on the classical Bxh7+ mating attack against a castled position, but instead of the usual fare, you will meet some twists in the route to mate. I hope you enjoy these.

From Lisitzin-Ragosin, Leningrad, 1934: 1.Bh7+ Kxh7 A more stubborn defense, but equally doomed was 1...Kh8 2.Ng5 Rf8 3.Rxf7 Nd5 4.Rxf8+ Qxf8 5.Bxf8 Rxf8 6.Bb1 Nde7 7.Qe2 Rf6 8.Ne4 Rf8 9.Nc5 Bc8 10.Nxe6 Rf7 11.Qe4 g6 12.d5 Na5 13.d6 Nf5 14.Nf4 Nc6 15.Qe8+ Kg7 16.Qxc8 2.Ng5+ Kg8 3.Nxf7 Qb8 4.Nxh6+ gxh6 5.Qg4+ Kh8 6.Rf6 Re7 7.Bxe7 Qf8 8.Bxf8 Nd5 9.Rxh6# This demonstrates to students, as they advance, that they can take an idea an improvise on it, even if it isn’t the “model” position they were taught.

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