I chatted to a spectator after one of my games at the Sparkassen Chess Trophy in Dortmund.
‘A close shave today, wasn’t it?’ he began.
‘Yes, I can’t believe my opponent escaped with a draw.’
‘No, I think you were losing.’
‘Oh, but didn’t you see my beautiful mating idea with b5?’
‘There’s a fly in the ointment – have another look,’ he said.
[The penny drops, eventually.] ‘Oops. Ah well, better lucky than good!’
Fortunately, my opponent shared my delusion during the game. And doubly so, in that my misplaced confidence spared me the need to conduct an arduous defence.
My opponent has just snatched a pawn on a3. After 39 Rf4 Re8 40 Rff7 Rb8 my rooks would hit a brick wall.
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