A Command of Tactics

A command of tactics is almost like having extra time on your clock, especially in fast games.

See the following game as an example.

angelcamina - baptistedechandon

1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2025

1.e4 e5 2.Nf3 Nc6 3.Bc4 Nf6 4.Nc3 Bc5

The Italian Four Knights game 

5.Bxf7+ 

The Italian Four Knights Jerome Gambit.

The Database has 284 games by angelcamina that have this sacrifice. He scores 60%.

5...Kxf7 6.Nxe5+ Nxe5 7.d4 Bxd4 8.Qxd4 Qe7 

Black's defense is sufficient - for now.

9.O-O Rf8 10.f4 Nc6

He has also faced 10...Neg4 11.e5 Nh5 12.h3 Nh6 13.f5 Kg8 14.Bxh6 gxh6 15.Qg4+ Ng7 16.f6 Qc5+ 17.Kh1 Rf7 18.fxg7 Rxg7 19.Qf4 d6 20.Qf8 checkmate, angelcamina - Bellerophon1, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2021

11.Qc4+ Qe6 

A weaker defense: 11...Ke8 12.b3 d6 13.Ba3 Be6 14.Qa4 Bd7 15.Rae1 Ne5 16.Qd4 Neg4 17.e5 dxe5 18.fxe5 Qxa3 19.exf6+ Kd8 20.Re7 Nxf6 21.Rxf6 Qc1+ 22.Nd1 Kxe7 23.Rxf8 Rxf8 24.Qxg7+ Kd8 25.Qxf8+ Be8 26.Qf6+ Kc8 27.Qe6+ Bd7 28.Qg8+ Be8 29.Qxe8 checkmate, angelcamina - BedirMan, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2024 

12.Nd5 

Earlier games:

12.Qa4 Kg8 13.Bd2 d6 14.Rae1 Bd7 15.f5 Qe8 16.Qb3+ Kh8 17.Nd5 Nd4 18.Qc3 Nxd5 19.Qxd4 Nf6 20.Bc3 a6 21.e5 dxe5 22.Rxe5 Bc6 23.Rxe8 Raxe8 24.Re1 Rxe1+ 25.Bxe1 Re8 26.Bc3 Kg8 27.g4 Kh8 28.g5 Rd8 29.gxf6 Rxd4 30.fxg7+ Kxg7 31.Bxd4+ Kh6 32.Kf2 Kg5 33.f6 Kf5 34.Ke3 Be4 35.c3 Bd5 36.b3 Bf7 37.h3 c6 38.Kf3 b6 39.Bxb6 c5 40.Bxc5 h6 41.Bd4 h5 42.h4 Bg6 43.Kg3 Bf7 44.c4 Be6 White resigned, angelcamina - Naguro, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2019; and

12.Qe2 Kg8 13.f5 Ne8 14.fxe6 Black resigned, angelcamina - abhishek_927, 1 0 bullet, lichess.org, 2020.

12...Nxd5 

A reflexive response, turning the advantage over to White. Remember, this is a 1-minute game. 

Stockfish 17.1 suggests 12...b5 13.Qxb5 Rb8 

13.exd5 Qf6 14.dxc6+ Qe6 15.Qxe6+ dxe6 16.cxb7 Bxb7 

White has an extra pawn, and a better pawn structure. Remove the Rooks, however, and the Bishops-of-opposite colors would be drawish.

17.Bd2 Kg8 18.Bc3 Rf5 19.Rad1 Raf8 20.Rd7 

Black focuses his forces on an enemy pawn, while White focuses on the enemy King.

20...Rxf4 

When the clock allows a second or two of thinking per move, it is possible to miss that this move allows checkmate. Necessary was 20...R8f7. 

21.Rxg7+ 

White will execute what is called a windmill.

21...Kh8 22.Rxc7+ 

White sees the coming checkmate.

Readers who saw 22.Rxf4 e5 23.Rg3 Rf6 24.Rxf6 Bd5 25.Rf8+ Bg8 26.Bxe5#, good for you.

22...Kg8 23.Rg7+ Kh8 24.Rxb7+ Kg8 25.Rg7+ Kh8 

26.Rxf4 Rxf4 27.Rf7+ e5 28.Bxe5+ Rf6 29.Rxf6 White won on time

A possible ending, if the clock had allowed: 29...Kg7 30.c4 a5 31.c5 a4 32.c6 a3 33.bxa3 Kg8 34.c7 h6 35.c8Q+ Kh7 36.Qf8 h5 37.Rh6 checkmate