The Importance in Taking Time to Attack Aggressively

The point is, chess games don't win themselves. The all important opening based off of the respective armies must be heavily considered in gaining an early advantage. When moving towards the early middlegame. The first one to attack could get a huge edge as the game progresses into the later parts of the middlegame and also into the endgame.

The game is roughly equal to move 9. Accuracy occurs on both sides until we reach a position after move 13. This position is a puzzle and is shown above. There is only 1 way to win.

Leading up to move 13 is a series of direct threats, starting with the move Ng5 on move 10 (second most recommended move). The rook has been displaced outwards to e8, and thus there is no guard of f7 except for the enemy king. Qb3 and Ng5 create a single threat against f7.

Although 11. Nc4 is a mistake, there is some value to the move, anticipating an attack against d6, and centralizing the piece. However, more accurate would have been to put the bishop on c4. Move 12 again anticipates the trade as white would lose the bishop pair. However, there is possibility to open the f-file. At this point, the continuation of Nxg3, fxg3, and the future hopes of Nxd6, lining up all 3 attackers, the rook, knight and queen against f7.

Again, usually the move to play is to take with the h pawn, as the king becomes weaker, as does the center, specifically e3 in the position. Additionally, now d5 is playable, while before it was pinning the d pawn.

Now here comes the blunder. Clearly white is losing and if black continues flawlessly, white has little hope. But the move Bh6 provokes some interesting possibilities.

And now the answer to the puzzle: Nxf7!!

Before finalizing the move, I had briefly considered my earlier plan of Nxd6, as 14. Nxd6, Qxd6, 15. Nxf7 is quite devastating. The line continues to become dreadful for black if black chooses to try and preserve the queen with 15. Nxf7, Bxe3, 16. Kh1, Qd5 results in a beautiful combination: Bc4!!

The bishop x-rays through the queen and the knight and targets the king, joining the attack.

The variation doesn't work as a. (I did not realize this during the game), If the pawn on e7 takes the knight, a sequence of moves causes white to lose terribly: 14. Nxd6, exd6, 15. Nxf7, Bxe3+, 16. Kh1, d5!. The final pawn moves closes any possibility of further attack from the queen, and no more material can be won.
Additionally, (I saw this during the game), black can take the loose knight on g5, and move in on e3. The only winning move works because the king cannot take, and if the rook takes, the knight can move to reveal a discovered attack against the rook. Not taking is a possibility, but black is still under heavy pressure.

After Rxf7??, Then the knight does not move back, but jumps forward even more: Nxd6 hits the rook 3 times! In the game, the queen takes, and it is a forced mate. Qxf7+, Kh8, and Qe8+ begins the final sequence.

The game is a great example of starting out with a good foot, and even if things go wrong, putting your opponent into a tricky situation might just be enough.

(This is also a blog test)