Answers.Body: <p>As you saw in your game <code>a6</code> failed terribly as it's simply inviting white to take on <code>c6</code> and win the rook. Black had a better way of avoiding all of this a move earlier, i.e. <code>2. Bb5 Nf6</code> instead of <code>Nge7</code>. See illustration:</p>
  
  <pre><code>r1b1kbnr/p1pp4/1p6/4nP1p/6pq/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1
  
  1. Qd5 Nc6
  2. Bb5 Nf6
  3. Re1+ Kd8
  4. Qd2 (4. Qd3 Bc5) (4. Qc4 Bc5)
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>Finally as for <code>Qf6</code>, as has been suggested in comments by others, it simply loses to <code>Ne4</code> (or the engine move which is <code>Bf4</code>, but it doesn't matter as <code>Ne4</code> is good enough):</p>
  
  <pre><code>r1b1kbnr/p1pp4/1p6/4nP1p/6pq/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1
  
  1. Qd5 Nc6
  2. Bb5 Nge7
  3. Re1 Qf6
  4. Ne4 Qf7
  5. Bxc6 dxc6
  6. Qe5 Bg7
  7. f6
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>So both <code>a6</code> and <code>Qf6</code> blunder the game away, the former bit more horribly so.</p>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-06T03:25:07.570Z
Answers.Text: Ah, I overlooked his way of avoiding the `Nge7` pin. Fortunately, he did too. Thank you for the clear explanation and illustrations.
Answers.UserDisplayName: Cliff
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-06T07:21:09.867Z
Answers.Text: In your second variant, what happens if black plays 4. ... Qd4 or Qe5?
Answers.UserDisplayName: downhand
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-06T11:32:12.040Z
Answers.Text: I believe instead 2.Bb5 white could simply play 2.Re1 first. Maybe I will answer this sometime soon by explaining why Bb5 is not so good and how Black can defend and improve its position
Answers.UserDisplayName: Pavan Nadig
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T19:31:45.153Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-05-05T19:31:45.153Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: Ellie
Answers.Body: <p>In the initial position I would chose White. Black is slightly ahead in material, but most of it is a dead wood.</p>
  
  <ol start="3">
  <li>... Qf6 loses to 4. Ne4, e.g. 4. ... Nd5 5. Nf6++ K~ 6. Nd5 recovering material.</li>
  </ol>
  
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T07:18:16.893Z
Answers.Text: Isn't there 5.Nd6++ Kd8 6.Rd8 mate?
Answers.UserDisplayName: BlindKungFuMaster
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T07:22:14.213Z
Answers.Text: I was looking at 4.Ne4 Qf7 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nd6+ cxd6 7.Qxc6+ Kd8 8.Qxa8 Nxf5 9.Bg5+ and White can grab the a-pawn.
Answers.UserDisplayName: bof
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T07:34:03.473Z
Answers.Text: @BlindKungFuMaster 5. ... Kf7 is technically legal
Answers.UserDisplayName: user58697
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T07:38:08.220Z
Answers.Text: @user58697: Not according to the rules I know … ;-)
Answers.UserDisplayName: BlindKungFuMaster
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T07:42:09.500Z
Answers.Text: @BlindKungFuMaster Sorry I might be under influence; tell me how f7 is controlled?
Answers.UserDisplayName: user58697
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T08:36:08.160Z
Answers.Text: The variation I'm talking about is 3…Qf6 4.Ne4 Nd5 5.Nd6++ (now f7 is controlled by the Nd6) Kd8 6.Re8#
Answers.UserDisplayName: BlindKungFuMaster
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T09:46:08.603Z
Answers.Text: Yes, 4...Nd5?? is a horrible blunder. 4...Qf7 puts up a better fight.
Answers.UserDisplayName: bof
Answers.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Answers.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T07:08:36.080Z
Answers.LastActivityDate: 2015-05-05T07:08:36.080Z
Answers.UserDisplayName: user58697
Body: <p>I'm getting back into chess after a hiatus of 8+ years, so I'm a bit rusty. This position is from a game I just played online.</p>
  
  <p>I'm white and it's my move. I threaten black's rook and knight with <code>Qd5</code>, and this is how it played out. I'm amazed it worked in my favor, because as far as I can tell, instead of <code>3. - a6</code>, he could have moved <code>3. - Qf6</code>, which would save him after a few exchanges. Am I missing something, or did he just make the wrong move?</p>
  
  <p>EDIT: Removed irrelevant sentence about Kf7.</p>
  
  <pre><code>r1b1kbnr/p1pp4/1p6/4nP1p/6pq/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1
  
  1. Qd5 Nc6
  2. Bb5 Nge7
  3. Re1 a6
  4. Bxc6 dxc6
  5. Qxc6+ Bd7
  6. Qxa8+ Kf7
  7. Qxa6
  </code></pre>
  
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T12:09:17.407Z
Comments.Text: @bof or 7. Qxc8+ right away, since the black knight is pinned.
Comments.UserDisplayName: GloriaVictis
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T12:25:53.833Z
Comments.Text: @GloriaVictis Was 2...Nge7 the best Black could do? What happens if he plays 2...Nf6?
Comments.UserDisplayName: bof
Comments.ContentLicense: CC BY-SA 3.0
Comments.CreationDate: 2015-05-05T12:43:58.733Z
Comments.Text: @bof seems like a much better move to me; I'd say white maintains an edge after 3. Re1+, but I do not see an immediate win.
Comments.UserDisplayName: GloriaVictis
Tags: <combinations>
Title: Did black misplay here or did I miss something?
ThreadText: # Did black misplay here or did I miss something?
  
  (Asked by: username_0 on 2015-05-05)
  
  I'm getting back into chess after a hiatus of 8+ years, so I'm a bit rusty. This position is from a game I just played online.
  I'm white and it's my move. I threaten black's rook and knight with Qd5, and this is how it played out. I'm amazed it worked in my favor, because as far as I can tell, instead of 3. - a6, he could have moved 3. - Qf6, which would save him after a few exchanges. Am I missing something, or did he just make the wrong move?
  EDIT: Removed irrelevant sentence about Kf7.
  r1b1kbnr/p1pp4/1p6/4nP1p/6pq/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1
  
  1. Qd5 Nc6
  2. Bb5 Nge7
  3. Re1 a6
  4. Bxc6 dxc6
  5. Qxc6+ Bd7
  6. Qxa8+ Kf7
  7. Qxa6
  
  **Tags:** combinations
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_1**: @username_2 or 7. Qxc8+ right away, since the black knight is pinned.  
  > **username_2**: @username_1 Was 2...Nge7 the best Black could do? What happens if he plays 2...Nf6?  
  > **username_1**: @username_2 seems like a much better move to me; I'd say white maintains an edge after 3. Re1+, but I do not see an immediate win.  
  
  ---
  
  ## 2 answers
  
  ### Answer by username_3 on 2015-05-05. Score: 2 | Accepted answer
  
  As you saw in your game a6 failed terribly as it's simply inviting white to take on c6 and win the rook. Black had a better way of avoiding all of this a move earlier, i.e. 2. Bb5 Nf6 instead of Nge7. See illustration:
  r1b1kbnr/p1pp4/1p6/4nP1p/6pq/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1
  
  1. Qd5 Nc6
  2. Bb5 Nf6
  3. Re1+ Kd8
  4. Qd2 (4. Qd3 Bc5) (4. Qc4 Bc5)
  
  Finally as for Qf6, as has been suggested in comments by others, it simply loses to Ne4 (or the engine move which is Bf4, but it doesn't matter as Ne4 is good enough):
  r1b1kbnr/p1pp4/1p6/4nP1p/6pq/2N5/PPP1BPPP/R1BQ1RK1 w - - 0 1
  
  1. Qd5 Nc6
  2. Bb5 Nge7
  3. Re1 Qf6
  4. Ne4 Qf7
  5. Bxc6 dxc6
  6. Qe5 Bg7
  7. f6
  
  So both a6 and Qf6 blunder the game away, the former bit more horribly so.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_0**: Ah, I overlooked his way of avoiding the `Nge7` pin. Fortunately, he did too. Thank you for the clear explanation and illustrations.  
  > **username_4**: In your second variant, what happens if black plays 4. ... Qd4 or Qe5?  
  > **username_5**: I believe instead 2.Bb5 white could simply play 2.Re1 first. Maybe I will answer this sometime soon by explaining why Bb5 is not so good and how Black can defend and improve its position  
  
  ---
  
  ### Answer by username_6 on 2015-05-05. Score: 0
  
  In the initial position I would chose White. Black is slightly ahead in material, but most of it is a dead wood.
  
  3. ... Qf6 loses to 4. Ne4, e.g. 4. ... Nd5 5. Nf6++ K~ 6. Nd5 recovering material.
  
  > **Comments:**
  > **username_7**: Isn't there 5.Nd6++ Kd8 6.Rd8 mate?  
  > **username_2**: I was looking at 4.Ne4 Qf7 5.Bxc6 dxc6 6.Nd6+ cxd6 7.Qxc6+ Kd8 8.Qxa8 Nxf5 9.Bg5+ and White can grab the a-pawn.  
  > **username_6**: @username_7 5. ... Kf7 is technically legal  
  > **username_7**: @username_6: Not according to the rules I know … ;-)  
  > **username_6**: @username_7 Sorry I might be under influence; tell me how f7 is controlled?  
  > **username_7**: The variation I'm talking about is 3…Qf6 4.Ne4 Nd5 5.Nd6++ (now f7 is controlled by the Nd6) Kd8 6.Re8#  
  > **username_2**: Yes, 4...Nd5?? is a horrible blunder. 4...Qf7 puts up a better fight.  
  
  ---
  
  