Academy | Calculation | Critical Variations | CCT Example #4
CCT Observations
- Black’s CCT moves are 1… Qxb7, 1… Qc1+ (followed by 2… Qxg5), and, in certain variations, 1… Rxe8. We can be aware of 1… Qh2+, but it can be instantly discarded.
- Black has two critical threats: 1… Qxb7 and 1… Qc1+, and these are the only moves we need to be concerned about.
- We can conclude that White must either defend against these threats or, preferably, create an even stronger threat. The first moves White should consider are 1. Ne6+ or 1. Qxc7, which eliminate Black’s threats. Other moves either lose the queen or allow 1… Qc1+.
- A player with weaker tactical skills will likely play 1. Qxc7, and the game will continue from there.
- A player with a strong tactical skill might find 1. Ne6+ fxe6 2. Re7+, winning material!
The lesson here is that strong tactical skills make it easier to recognize patterns, which in turn supports the CCT method by helping you identify the critical variations you need to calculate.