International Chess Challenge: Queen and Bishop

 This week's moves in our international chess challenge are:

1 e4 e5
2 Qh5 Nc6
3 d3 Nf6
4 Qh4 g6

5 Bg5

The bishop now pins the black knight on f6. If the knight moves then White will capture the black queen.

Hutt International Boys' School (New Zealand) v The Links (England)

The Links looked at both 5 ...Be7 (to break the pin) and 5 ...Bg7 (to develop the bishop on the other diagonal). Both moves also prepare to castle the king into safety. 5 ...Bg7 proved to be the more popular choice of the two.

5 ...Bg7

Hutt International Boys' School (New Zealand) v The Links (England)

Developing a bishop along the long diagonal (g7 and b7 for Black; g2 and b2 for White) is called a  fianchetto.

Can White continue to attack the black position?

Will the black king find safety?

Stay tuned...