An x-ray or x-ray attack is a tactic where a ranged piece supports a friendly piece ”through” an enemy piece.
I played some blitz yesterday on FICS and in the last 7-minute game I was lucky to reproduce (almost) the combination from Morphy’s famous “opera” game vs. Duke Karl / Count Isouard (1858). The combination implements X-ray theme.
1. Rc8+ Nxb8 2. Qd8#
If it won’t be blitz, I would probably mate by rook to get closer to the original:
1. Qb8+! Nxd8 2. Rd8#
February 21, 2009 at 5:18 am
Nice combo! I guess I would have described this situation by saying that Black knight is “pinned” to the mate square on d8, rather than calling it an “x-ray defense” of the d8 square? Great move, though, and it must have been fun to find it in a Blitz game!
Best regards,
Hank
February 21, 2009 at 7:18 am
I’ve heard of the x-ray tactic, but have really never taken the time to understand what it was. After reading your post and reading the wikipedia entry, it makes perfect sense.It is almost like removal of the defender.
It is always fun to spot stuff like this! Great job!
February 21, 2009 at 10:10 pm
Hank – thanks. The tactics overlap, I think, so it’s somewhat deflection or pin too, though I would still prefer to call it x-ray. Yes, it’s not often happens in blitz to get a combination, so even a simple one, like this, makes you happy.
Rocky – thanks. Morphy influenced me a lot, so I was glad to pay a little tribute to him.
February 23, 2009 at 12:57 am
Well played Morphy sorry i mean Rolling Pawns.
It’s good when tactics like that work in a game.
Do you have the game score,it looks a good game.
February 23, 2009 at 5:07 am
I am sorry to say but this isn’t x-ray in my eyes but only deflection (removal of the defender).
X-ray is more something like
Position given in it’s utmost simplicity
white: Qd1, Ra8
black: Rd8, Qd5
White to move plays Rxd8 and since now the rook on d8 is defending the Queen on d1 thru the Queen on d5.
Your example is more like:
Position given is in its utmost simplicity.
white: Bf1, Nd5
black: Qc6, Ke8
White to move plays Bb5 which pins the Queen so black takes the bishop after which white wins with Nc7+ forking blacks king and queen.
With other words, it’s deflection (removal of the guard) theme in your example.
February 23, 2009 at 1:34 pm
chessx – thank you. It was a typical blitz game, here is the score:
1. e4 d6 2. d4 e6 3. Nf3 f6 4. Bc4 Bd7 5. O-O Be7 6. e5 f5 7. exd6 Bxd6 8. Ne5 b5 9. Bb3 Bxe5 10. dxe5 Qe7 11. c4 bxc4 12. Bxc4 Nc6 13. Bf4 Rb8 14. Qd2 Rb4 15. Na3 h6 16. Rac1 g5 17. Be3 f4 18. Bd4 h5 19. Nb5 Nxd4 20. Nxc7+ Kf7 21. Qxd4 Rb7 22. Nxe6 Bxe6 23. Bxe6+ Qxe6 24. Rfd1 Ne7 25. Qe4 Rhb8 26. Qh7+ Ke8 27. Qxh5+ Qf7 28. Qxg5 Rxb2
29. g3 Re2 30. gxf4 Rbb2 31. Rc8+ Nxc8 32. Qd8# 1-0
chesstiger – after some research I have to agree with you. X-ray should involve striking the “end” square as initial move too, not only as final one.
March 7, 2009 at 12:44 am
When I show the Morphy game I discuss pins in great detail. Black’s knights are both pinned, so it’s an excellent position to show the difference between relative (to the queen), and absolute (to the king) pins. The knight on d7 is actually pinned to the d8 square. With a more advanced group I can describe that a pin to the square.
March 7, 2009 at 9:56 pm
Polly – yeah, Morphy’s game is great example of pins and fast development.