The Old Bxf7+ Trick

This morning I played a 10 minute game at Chess Hotel and as I pointed out earlier I ran into the old Bxf7+ trick again. Or maybe I should say anti-trick. This mini-game shows why it’s such a bad idea.


What really irks me is all these bad chess authors out there who keep telling people to play tactics and leaving them with the idea that they don’t even have to be sound or based on the merits of the position. Just play some weird, offbeat opening and sac something. Your opponent won’t know the book on your opening and he will have to think on his own and of course that will lead to a blunder. What they don’t mention is that because your opponent doesn’t know the opening, he won’t follow the book and guess what? You’ll be thinking on your own too and just as likely to blunder. These guys are doing their readers a disservice. I understand why though...they make money.

I know. Been there. Done that. I remember playing in a tournament one time where I played an offbeat opening and a veteran master who’d been watching the game literally yelled at me after the game, “Play chess [expletive deleted]! Play chess!” I know what he meant.