Never Give Up! Brilliant Moves (2a)
Welcome to part 2a of our mini-series! You should never give up in chess, unless of course you can see the future.
Assuming you are not a fortune-teller, you should not give up--either by resigning or by tanking--because you never know what could happen! Today we will look at a cool position where the material is slightly imbalanced. Black finds a brilliant move! By, Mrs Jessica E Prescott (aka BoundingOwl).
In this position, the material imbalance is a queen for a rook and a bishop. But material isn't everything! Look at the king in the center of the board!! He is wide open and ripe for skewers and pins Watch black's supercool sac!
Believe it or not, this move traps the queen!! Wait, can't the queen just take the rook? Sure, but notice that she is lined up with the king. Can you find a skewer?
Obviously, leaving the queen anywhere on the back rank will get her captured by the rook for free. No fun. 
If she goes to c2 then the bishop will happily take. But maybe she is safe on d3?
If she goes to c2 then the bishop will happily take. But maybe she is safe on d3? No way! Another skewer! Well then surely putting the queen on e4 would be safe. Maybe kingy will protect her...
Oh dear! An absolute pin. So Qe4 wasn't safe. I guess we'll try Qf5?!
I bet you found that quickly! Once you practice a pattern you will recognize it faster the following time you see it!
So, we have only a few choices left to try to save the queen. If she goes to g6, the pawn will capture her. Don't forget hanging pieces!
Stay tuned next time for some trickier choices for the queen to hide and escape. Do you think she will be able to hide from the pesky rook and bishop team?
