ONE BRILLIANT MOMENT
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Irina Krush vs Svetlana Matveeva · 2002 · move 18.
Which queen move from d8 creates direct pressure against the pawn on h2?
In this 2002 women’s World Cup quarterfinal game, Matveeva’s central and kingside play eventually produces a bishop offer and a knight fork. The sequence is useful because the offer is not explained by a guessed mating pattern. Follow the queen’s threats, the knight’s protected entry and the attacks that remain after the bishop is captured.
Before reaching for a move, identify the opponent’s immediate threat and the piece you most want to improve. Then compare checks, captures and quiet moves. The complete interactive lesson will let you test your answer without revealing the historical continuation first.
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