Thinking mistakes

I am presently watching each round of the annual Wijk aan Zee tournament. Like most fans, I concentrate on the top event, but I occasionally dip into the B and C groups. Often, I look at the wins, particularly the short ones, but also at the games of players I like.

This game caught my eye. Black has just played h6, preventing Ng5, and Arkady plays….Ng5.

I must admit, I didn't get it at first. It took a while to dawn on me that the threat was a 'reloader', to play Qg6 and Be4 and then mate with the queen on h7, it being supported not by the N, but by the B.

Alas, I would never have considered Ng5, thinking it was stopped by black's last move. Now, it looks obvious, and maybe even Nd6 would work, since the aim is not to play Qh7mate, but Qg6 first; but Ng5 is of course the forcing move.

I remember reading, I think in CJS Purdy, that as part of thinking technique, you should consider what you want to play, and not be put off by the opponent's threats. For the moment, ignore the threats, and use your imagination to see 'what if', what if you could play the move you want.

Naiditsch provides a valuable and classy reminder of this technique.

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