Oliver Dunne sends in this snappy and instructive miniature from this year’s Branagan Cup semi-final, in which Elm Mount resoundingly defeated a considerably higher-rated Rathmines side that had just won the Armstrong Cup. Below I’ve set this up as a quiz, but the full game, as with most miniatures, is well worth playing through.
Mindaugas Janusaitis – Oliver Dunne
Branagan Cup ½-final, Rathmines-Elm Mount
29th May 2012
Whatever White had in mind, the last few moves have not gone according to plan, and now he’s forced to take the critical decision, to grab the rook or not. Which conclusion would you agree with?
A. Yes, go ahead and grab it, Black has nothing.
B. Avoid it like the plague, White will get massacred in short order if he captures on h8.